


The Sun Always Pulls the Light Back

by Mammon (Sightless_Angels), Sightless_Angels



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: And I wanted him to have a cello so he got a cello, But that's more only slight, Enemies to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, I wanted Kek to have a cat so he got a cat, M/M, Marik's relationship with Bakura and Ryou isn't an active part either but is mentioned, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Yuugi's and Anzu's relationship is mostly mentioned but never in action, clashshipping - Freeform, hints of other parings - Freeform, mentions of Visionshipping toward the end, there might be additional stories later on of the other pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:53:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 31,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24213970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sightless_Angels/pseuds/Mammon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sightless_Angels/pseuds/Sightless_Angels
Summary: Kek gets a call from Marik, warning him about Rishid and Isis coming down and wanting to check to see how he is adjusting to being his own person, or he'd have to be watched. Fearing that he didn't live up to expectations, Kek turns to the only person he could think of: Atem.
Relationships: Atem/Yami Marik, Mazaki Anzu | Tea Gardner/Mutou Yuugi
Comments: 31
Kudos: 18
Collections: Fake Outs & Mishaps





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "If we were to meet out of this time  
> seven dozing swans  
> rushing so quickly that we mistake them for paper.
> 
> And we know all the things, we know now  
> that the sun always pulls the light back
> 
> and we are always solared by our dreams,  
> sabotaging objects  
> killing quickly, and making us bored
> 
> and the gazing electrical shelters  
> have a home for us."
> 
> An excerpt from Greta Bellamacina's The Jungle
> 
> So, when I saw that Sita had wanted to do a Rare Pairing collection, my brain immediately jumped to Atem and Kek/Yami Marik (though, Atem and Thief King Bakura was a close section - maybe another time) and I wanted to bring my two favorite tropes together: enemies/idiots to lovers and fake dating.  
> This little story ended up a bit longer than I'd originally anticipated, but it was still a joy to write.  
> That said, I didn't fully get it beta-ed so it there are any mistakes, feel free to let me know and I'll be sure to correct them.

Kek wanted to scream. Even though he and Marik weren’t on complete social terms, every now and then Marik will give him a call. He was pretty sure it was because Marik’s lovers, Bakura and Ryou, would insist and force the issue, but Kek held no proof. Most of the time, the calls would last a few minutes filled with meaningless small talk that usually left Kek annoyed. It always felt like an halfhearted attempt at getting him to open up. 

However, something told Kek that this call had been made completely on Marik’s own accord.

The call was a warning for things to come.

Kek felt uncomfortable hanging around his family so he usually skipped any family functions that arose. Apparently, he’d skipped one too many because now Rishid and Isis were going to pay a visit in a few days to verify that he was adjusting to being his own person.

And if he didn’t live up to what they felt he was supposed to be, then he’d have babysitters in the form of Marik, Bakura, and Ryou since they lived close by. He didn’t want to stay with anyone and he did not want anyone invading his space.

How was he supposed to show that he was more or less adjusted? Sure, he still had some issues, but it wasn’t like he was going out and slaughtering people. He wasn’t actively committing crimes. He knew that Marik was at least keeping them up to date about that aspect.

What more did they want? To see him settle down as Marik did?

That, he hoped, wasn’t the case. People were exhausting to be around. He didn’t know many who he could actively stand for more than five minutes. 

Kek knelt down and scooped his cat up into his arms. “What are we going to do, Khepri?” he questioned softly.

The cat gave a meow, butting his head against Kek’s jaw. When Kek didn’t nuzzle him back, the cat smacked his cheek.

“Shall we go bother the starfish?” The ex-pharaoh was one of the few people he could stand for any amount of time and that was mostly because Kek spent it bothering him. It was always so much fun to rile Atem up until his face was a ruddy tone and it looked like he was going to suffocate himself. 

Kek stood, holding his cat to his chest. He absently scratched behind Khepri’s ear. 

On more than one occasion, he thought about posting pictures of his life and Khepri on his social media account Marik had set up for him, but Kek wanted to keep his private life just that. Private. It was one of the few things Kek could relate with Seto about. Instead, he used his account to share random memes he saw and technically stalk his family and the friendship cult that Atem and Marik had fallen into. It was only so he could stay up to date with the happenings with everyone and further avoid family functions. 

He carried his precious feline to the kitchen and set out a plate of wet food, placing it by the regular food bowl. “Be good for me while I’m gone. And stay off the pantry or no more Temptations.” He left his apartment, locking the door behind him and made his way to the Game Shop where he knew Atem would be, along with his precious little Aibou, both working for Gramps. Ra, he hated that creepy doting Atem had with Yuugi.

Kek slipped his hands into his jacket pockets, feeling for the knife he kept hidden inside. He didn’t actually use it, but he kept it on his person since he didn’t live in the best of neighborhoods. It gave him a sense of security like how the sennen rod had.

Fortunately for him, most people didn’t bother him based on his wild appearance. His hair still stuck out in various directions. Not like he bothered to try and tame it.

He hummed softly to himself as he made his way to the Game Shop. It wasn’t that far of a walk.

The store was open and Kek could see inside. Atem was behind the register. No Yuugi in sight. No Yuugi meant that he had more time to bother Atem alone. He grinned to himself and opened the door. The bell jingled overhead, signaling his entrance. 

“Welcome to the Game Shop,” Atem said automatically. His gaze remained on the book sitting on the counter. “How may I help you?”

“For starters, you could look up when you greet a customer.”

Atem groaned, dropping his head forehead. “Go away, Kek. I’m busy.” As he spoke, he slipped a piece of paper in the book and closed it. “Go bother someone else.”

“Nah. I’d much rather bother you. Besides, aside from myself, you don’t have any customers to attend to.” 

“Are you gonna buy something?”

Kek glanced around. “I might possibly,” he drawled, “but I just don’t even know what is in stock.” His lips quirked as he looked at Atem. “Care to show me around?”

Atem grumbled. “You don’t even play games anymore. There’s no point.”

“Such bad customer service. I’ll have to mention that in the customer survey.”

Atem’s jaw tensed as his eyes narrowed. It didn’t take Kek long to annoy him today. It made Kek pause and wonder if everything was all right. “Why are you here?”

Kek shrugged. “I’m bored and I wanted to bother you.” Kek leaned against the glass counter. He ignored the contents of what was in the case in favor of picking up the book. The cover depicted a dragon on it. It seemed more like a book Kaiba would salivate over.

Atem yanked the book out of his hands. “Too bad. Go. I don’t feel like entertaining you.”

“Come on. It’s not like it’ll kill you to spend some time with me.”

“Why don’t you go bother Marik or Bakura?”

Kek pursed his lips, feeling annoyance fill him at the mention of the names. He’d hoped to distract himself from the situation, but unfortunately, even here his dilemma nagged at him. “I actually needed someone to talk to.” He decided that it didn’t hurt to vent it out to another using words.

“You?” Atem eyed him warily. “Need someone to talk to?”

“Shockingly yes. Even I have problems that I sometimes need another person’s advice on. And you’re the only one that I can stand to be around for a long…. Well, longish period of time.” Kek looked down at his fingers, running his nails against the rough patches of skin on the pads of his fingers.

Atem released a long, low breath. He pressed his forehead to the counter for a moment before straightening. “What’s wrong?”

Kek looked up in surprise. A grateful smile curved his lips. “Soooo, I’ve skipped one too many family get-togethers - I always make sure I have something that had to be done on those days - and now Isis and Rishid are going to pay me a visit,” Kek said in a single breath.

The ex-pharaoh stared in silence for a long heartbeat.

“Do… you want me to repeat that?” Kek asked awkwardly.

Atem shook his head. “No. It’s all right. It’s just, why?”

“Oh, they want to make sure that I’m not all Mister Stabby Mic Murderson,” Kek said with a huff. He folded his arms on the counter and laid his head down. “And I have no idea how to convince them otherwise so I can avoid babysitters and be left alone.”

Atem placed a hand on Kek’s shoulder. “Do you want me to talk to them? I can convince them that you aren’t the same.”

Kek’s eyes widened at the touch. He shook his head and pulled away. His heart raced violently, reminding Kek of the thrill he once got while playing shadow games against others. He stared at Atem, unsure of why he reacted in such a forbidden manner. “No. I… you don’t need to do that.”

“Then what do you want me to do?” It hadn’t quite been a snap, but Kek could hear the frustration in Atem’s tone.

Kek yanked at his hair. Pulling on the golden strands always gave him a warped grounding feeling. He only had a few days to set up some sort of game plan to prevent them from having him watched as if he was some sort of an unruly child. He wanted to smash something to alleviate the frustration - that glass counter looked highly tempting - but if he did that, he’d just prove to them that he couldn’t be trusted on his own. Kek wanted to be destructive, but he also wanted someone to just hold him and assure him that everything was going to be all right. He released a keening whine. “I don’t know!” He groaned to himself, hating what he’d admitted. This wasn’t what he’d wanted when he went to the Game Shop. “I have this fear of what they want of me to prove that I’m adjusting to being a person. My own person.” It’d taken him a long time to get used to being Kek and not Marik or Marik’s cast off.

Atem laughed, forcing Kek out of his mind. “They want _you_ to prove that you’re adjusting?” He shook his head. Dressed in jeans with a simple tee-shirt, Atem looked far from the regal that Kek sought to destroy, but he still sounded the same and evoked some of the same bouts of anger. He still aggravated Kek. Atem leaned closer. “Do they even know you?”

“Fuck you,” Kek hissed, his chest feeling tight and his eyes burning.

“Not trying to be a dick.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“I’m just saying… poorly, that asking you to prove something is kinda a moot point. You’ll just fake it to prevent them from delving too deep. A trait you do share with Marik.”

Kek glared. He hated being compared to Marik. “I am not like him.” He pursed his lips, trying to smash his anger down. Though, Atem’s words brought up an interesting thought. Putting up a fake surface. A Namu persona of his own. An idea struck him. “You know, I just figured out how you can help me.”

Atem reclined against the counter, leaning close. “Oh? And how can I possibly do that?”

Kek grinned and mirrored the posture. He opened his mouth to speak, but the bell on the door jingled, causing them to jerk away from one another. Kek felt his cheeks flame as if he’d just been caught kissing the ex-pharaoh.

“Go to the back, Kek. We’ll continue this in a moment. I have an actual customer.” 

Kek felt amused as Atem turned and greeted the cattle behind him. Without even glancing back to see who came in, Kek walked around the counter and entered the back office. The room was small and packed with books.

Kek sat at the desk, sighing heavily. The plan seemed outrageous, even for him, but surely it’d work. It’d get his family off his back and as soon as they were gone, he’d be able to go right back to his normal-ish life. 

He watched the clock tick slowly as Atem assisted the customer.

After several agonizing minutes, Atem entered the back room and crossed his arms. “What were you on about?”

“Pretend to be dating me when they’re visiting.”

“I… what?” Atem stared at Kek. “Are you okay in that head of yours?” Atem made a face. “Wait, I forgot who I was talking to.”

“Oh, fuck you, Atem,” Kek snapped. His fingers gripped the arms of the chair, trying to ignore the way his chest tightened. This plan was crashing and burning well before it even started. Kek didn’t know why he thought it’d work in the first place. They couldn’t stand one another.

“Apparently, that’s what you’re proposing.”

Heat blotched Kek’s cheeks. “Am not! Fake dating doesn’t mean fucking.”

Atem arched a brow, an aggravating smirk playing on his lips. “Really now?”

Kek didn’t feel like he’d changed from being the cast-off alter ego right then. He wanted to tackle Atem and throttle the life out of him. He ground his teeth. “What is wrong with you?” 

“Nothing. It’s just rather nice to be the one annoying you for a change.”

Kek pinched the bridge of his nose. “Insufferable prick.”

“That’s no way to speak to someone who you’re asking a favor from.”

“Completely regretting it. It was a ridiculous thought. Let’s forget about it.”

“No. It’s smart.” Kek glanced up at Atem’s words, startled and inwardly happy at the compliment. “You get them off your back and you get the honor of being around me more.”

Kek shot him a blank look. “Your ego is astounding.”

“And you’re the one always bothering me for attention.” 

Kek bared his teeth. He hadn’t wanted to be called out on that aspect. “You know what, I can think of something else to get them away. Anything else.” He went to stand.

“Oh no.” Atem settled a hand on Kek’s chest, keeping him in his seat. At the touch, Kek’s stomach felt full of bats frantically trying to escape. “I have a few questions before decisions are made. And since this is a rare chance for me to interrogate you, I’m going to use my time wisely.” 

Kek didn’t know what kind of questions Atem would have in regards to him. His skin crawled at the thought of hearing them. “Don’t you have a shop to run?”

“No. Not currently. I flipped the sign before coming back here.”

“Won’t you get in trouble for that?”

“Nope, but it is rather.... _sweet_ of you to worry.”

Realizing he couldn’t sway the annoying god-king, Kek slumped back in the chair, away from Atem’s touch, with a loud suffering sigh escaping his lips. “Fine. Speak.”

“Why do you avoid Isis and the others?”

Kek flinched. Of course, Atem went for difficult questions first. He closed his eyes. The answer he didn’t know, or he didn’t want to acknowledge it at least. He wasn’t quite certain which. He never entertained the thought when by himself. 

Atem sat on the edge of the desk, waiting expectantly.

Kek tried asking himself the question, but his mind shied away and the urge to cling to his cat struck him. His nails scratched at the arm of the chair. “I don’t have an answer for you,” Kek said, trying to draw himself to the present moment.

“Surely you-”

“Stop!” Kek snapped. “I can’t explain it, okay?” He looked up, setting Atem’s surprised but accepting expression. “Let’s move on. Next question.”

“All right.” Atem brushed strands of hair from Kek’s eyes, making him watch the ex-pharaoh with wary confusion. “Why me?”

“Weren’t you listening? You’re the one person I can stand to be around for any amount of time,” he said. “Besides-” Kek looked away, watching Atem drop his hand to his knee from the corner of his eye. He didn’t understand why Atem was acting so oddly today. “-Ryou and Bakura are fucking Marik, meaning Isis would never believe that I was with either of them. And I doubt that Marik would even agree to either of them pretending to be with someone else. Yugi is with Anzu and I’m not about to wreck that. Not when it took them forever to truly own their feelings.”

Atem laughed. “Ain’t that the truth. I was starting to seriously question the two of them.”

Kek nodded eagerly. He’d make sure to gossip about the pair with Atem later on. “Jonouchi is out of the question flat out. He’d rather punch me in the face-”

“-plus it looks like him and Rishid might be the ones dancing around one another now.”

Kek groaned at the thought. He wasn’t sure if it was because it was Rishid that they were talking about or if it was because of the fact they refused to see that they might like one another. “Exactly.” He buried his face into his hands, pressing his head against Atem’s propped knee. He ignored how Atem began running his fingers through the wild locks. The touch caused tension to release from Kek’s shoulders. He wanted to sink into the feeling and forget about his troubles.

The moment the thought crossed Kek’s mind, he straightened and kept his face turned downward so he didn’t have to look at Atem. He didn’t want Atem to see the hints of a blush spilling onto his cheeks. “I don’t know Honda well enough to ask him and personally, I’d rather throw him over the side of a blimp.”

“Why’s that? He’s not a bad guy.”

“I know. He’s just so… so _soft_.” That was the only way Kek could think to describe the brunet. He was always so eager to help others, to carry people when they couldn’t walk on their own and it infuriated Kek. He was pretty sure that was what he was feeling. 

“Ooookay then. What about Kaiba?”

“What about him?” Kek looked over at the ex-pharaoh, struggling to not notice just how close they were to one another. “He’s married to his company and everyone knows it.”

Atem and Kek watched each other for a moment before they broke out into chuckles. Despite the laughter, worry nagged at Kek. His laughs died away and he chewed on his bottom lip. “You’re… not disappointed with my answer, are you?”

“No. I’m not. You gave me what I wanted to hear.”

“Which was?”

“The honest truth.”

“I see…” Kek mumbled.

Yami stood. “Well, I’m done with my questioning…”

“Really? That’s all? Two questions. Surely you had more to ask.”

“I did, but I’ve changed my mind about asking.”

“I.. you changed your mind?” Kek’s brows scrunched together. “That doesn’t make sense. You make being human so confusing.”

“That’s because it is.” Atem placed his hands on the arms of the chair, invading Kek’s personal space. Kek could practically feel Atem’s breath ghosting across his face. The ex-pharaoh was so close that Kek could see the cartouche chain around Atem’s neck as it dipped beneath his shirt. “Regardless of what people might say, being human is messy, it’s inconsistent and oftentimes downright backward in thinking. It’s difficult to be human when you know what it’s like to be a god or a disembodied spirit, or even-” Atem tucked his fingers beneath Kek’s chin and lifted his head so they could look eye to eye. “-an alter ego. I doubt any of us truly know what it’s like to be a normal person by the standards other people set.”

“Then why do I have to prove myself? It’s not fair.”

“No. It’s not, but I believe that all of us are held to some sort of expectation. Some more vocally acknowledged than others.”

“I hate it,” Kek muttered. He reached up, his fingers tracing Atem’s wrist. He felt torn between throwing Atem’s hand away and leaning closer to the touch.

Atem dropped his hand away, taking the choice from Kek. “Let’s go.”

“What?”

“If we’re going to fool your siblings with this ruse, we need to make it believable. Which means we need to actually interact.” Atem cocked his head to the side. “Or did you honestly think that you could just get away with showing up with me on your arm?”

“I was hoping.”

Atem snorted. “Why am I not surprised?” He shook his head. “If you want to trick them then we need to have activities to talk about. Things we’ve done together.”

“So, you want us… to go out on a fake date?” Kek had to be certain that was what Atem was meaning. It felt like Atem was taking this uncomfortably seriously. He had nothing to prove.

“We don’t have to be around people. If you want, we can stay in. Be it your place or here.”

“Now?” Kek questioned. He chewed his bottom lip and shook his head before Atem could answer. “No. Not now. I need to take care of my furry baby. And you gotta work.”

“Your… furry baby?” Atem questioned, stepping back so that Kek could stand.

Kek smiled widely. “Yeah. I have a cat. He’s precious. Complete lovebug.”

“I never suspected that you’d be a cat person.”

The smile dropped as Kek clicked his tongue. “Because I’m a psychopath?”

“I don’t believe you’re a psychopath.” Atem shrugged. “I honestly thought you’d be a dog person. You and dogs have a lot of energy and can be destructive as hell.”

Kek huffed, eyeing Atem. He wasn’t sure if Atem was attempting to insult or compliment him. To him, it felt like both since dogs were adorable. “I’m an animal person,” he said finally. “Animals don’t judge. Unfortunately, my apartment doesn’t actually allow animals. So, no talking about my furry baby to others.” That was the other reason he didn’t post pictures on his social media account. 

“Your secret is safe with me. After all, what is a good boyfriend going to do? Tell and risk you getting kicked out?”

“Only if they are trying to get the other to move in with them,” Kek said, sticking his tongue out at Atem, resulting in Atem laughing.

“Yes. You and dogs are quite similar,” he said.

Kek looked away. “Since dogs are amazing creatures we don’t deserve, I’m taking that as a compliment.”

“Good, because unlike Kaiba talking to Jou, I do mean it as a compliment.”

Kek’s ears seemed to burn at his words. He felt his pockets for his keys. Anxiety gnawed at his insides. He wanted to get to the safety of his apartment and lose himself in whichever method called to him. “I… If we have to sell this then I guess I better…” He trailed, pulling out his keys. “I better give you this. It’s just so people believe it. I want my key back after they leave.” He took the spare off of the ring, offering it to Atem. He wondered what had possessed him to even do it. He hadn’t had the plans on relinquishing the illusion of freedom he had.

Atem looked at the key, arching a brow. “Kek,” he began slowly as he lifted his gaze to meet Kek’s, “I’m not judging here, but why do you carry both keys on you? One is for emergencies.”

“They gave me the keys as a pair. I don’t like to separate them.” Kek knew it sounded childish, but it honestly felt unnatural to separate the keys from the ring. The keys technically weren’t his. He couldn’t just do with them as he pleased.

Atem accepted the key. “I’ll keep it safe.”

Kek shifted his weight, feeling awkward. Seeing Atem accept the key made his heart pound. “Umm… thanks for this. I don’t know what’s in it for you, but this does mean a lot to me.”

“Nothing’s in it for me.”

Kek couldn’t believe it. He wanted to. He wanted to believe that someone would help him without any strings attached but his mind refused to allow him to have that kind of hope. He ducked his head and hurried from the shop, unable to keep looking at Atem without wanting to do… _something_. He didn’t even know what he wanted.

Atem released a heavy breath as Kek rushed from the shop. He was both relieved and disappointed that Kek left. A large part of him questioned his sanity for agreeing to this whole charade.

He massaged his forehead and flipped the sign back to open. It was a slow day. Usually, he’d read, but right then he had no desire to pick up his book. It didn’t matter that he was at an engaging part where the main heroine was about to summon a dragon to help protect her from an attack. He put the book away, putting it out of sight.

He paused, staring into the back office. His skin still felt tight and uncomfortable from how close they’d been to one another. When he’d had Kek caged in the chair, Atem couldn’t help but notice all sorts of details that he’d missed - like the soft lilac notes in his eyes and how they seemed to express everything. He’d also noticed how Kek’s hair was more than just blond. There were several shades of blond, going as light as almost platinum in certain lights. He’d wanted to bury his fingers in Kek’s hair.

And that frightened Atem. He wasn’t sure where the sudden desire came from. 

He shook his head, trying to prevent his mind from daydreaming about Kek and his hair and his eyes. Instead, his mind repeated Kek’s visit and the favor. At first, he’d thought about rejecting it, but he couldn’t bring himself to say no. He couldn’t bring himself to reject Kek.

He stood behind the register and laid his head on his arms. He remained like that until well after his legs and arms grew numb. The numbness and bizarre tingling in his limbs reminded him that he was alive, that he wasn’t trapped in the puzzle.

Like Kek, Atem knew that he was still adjusting to being a person. He could relate to Kek’s struggles. Oftentimes, Atem joined Yuugi and his friends in gatherings just to feel normal like them.

But normal wasn’t something Atem could ever truly have. He was displaced from time. He knew what it was like to be a ruler over a kingdom with people always at his command. And now he didn’t have that kind of power.

“Other me? Is everything all right?”

Atem hadn’t heard or even sensed Yuugi approaching. “No.”

He felt Yuugi’s hand touch his shoulder. “Wanna talk about it?”

Atem lifted his head, looking over at Yuugi. How was he going to explain to Yuugi that he’d agreed to fake date Kek? Someone that most of their friends were still wary to be around. While he figured that Yuugi had more or less put the past behind him, Atem was certain that Jonouchi would likely have a fit. Possibly even Mai.

Guilt gnawed at his stomach. He hated judging his friends.

“It’s nothing,” Atem said. Lying to Yuugi of all people made him feel disgusted with himself. “I’m just being stupid and overthinking.”

“If it’s bothering you, then it’s not stupid.”

Atem sighed again. He felt like he was sighing more and more lately. “Aibou…” he began, wanting to confess everything. He felt like he owed it to Yuugi. Not just for releasing him from the puzzle and helping him recover his lost memories, but for the fact that Atem had put Yuugi and his friends into so much danger many times. He felt the words rising in his throat, but instead of telling Yuugi about Kek and the fake relationship other words came out. “Do you think you can cover for me?”

“Right now? Or what?” Yuugi asked.

“Umm… a couple days,” Atem said. “I’m sorry about springing this on you so suddenly and asking so much of-”

“Stop, Atem,” Yuugi cut in. “You don’t need to apologize. I’m glad that you’re taking some time off. You’re not obligated to run the shop or anything.”

Atem looked down. “I know,” he whispered. “It’s something to do that helps you and Gramps.”

Yuugi frowned. “Do things for you, Atem. Not for others. You’ve done enough of that,” he scolded. He stepped behind the register, nudging Atem out of the way. “So, what made you want to take time for yourself?”

Atem weighed his options, feeling a bit more calmer. “I… I’m seeing someone and I wanted to spend some time with them.”

“If you’re dating Seto, warn me now so I can get the tubs of ice cream before Ootogi finds out.”

“No, it’s not - wait, Ootogi likes Seto?” Where had he been? He hadn’t noticed any signs or heard about them even spending casual time together. The most he heard about their interactions were business related.

“Big time. I’d thought that they were already together, but alas no. My poor heart can’t stand seeing them tip-toeing around one another.”

Atem made sure to file that away for another time. Maybe he could convince Kek to help him get them together somehow. He nodded to himself as another thought struck him. “A magical love child between those two would most definitely take over the world,” Atem said.

“That they would. Now don’t you distract me from the fact you never answered my question.”

“Umm… can we just pretend that I answered?” Atem didn’t understand why he couldn’t settle on a specific desire when it came to the fake relationship with Kek. He wanted to tell someone, but he also wanted to hoard it and Kek away as if he were the dragon who’d found the perfect treasure. 

“No. Don’t make me tell Anzu that you’re hiding such important things from us.”

Atem knew that he would cave instantly if Yuugi brought Anzu into this. If he was going to tell anyone, he wanted it, for now, to stay just between him and Yuugi. “I’ll be good. I’ll talk. It’s Kek.”

Yuugi blinked several times, watching Atem. “What? Kek? As in Marik’s former alter now technical twin Kek?”

“The very same. Things are just… tenuous between us right now.” It was just a little white lie. It didn’t even feel like a lie to Atem. “That’s why we haven’t really said anything before.”

“I’m guessing that’s why Kek is always coming around trying to get you to notice him.” Yuugi’s eyes narrowed.

“Yeah…”

Yuugi smacked Atem upside the head. “You’re a horrible boyfriend. You’re supposed to spend time with him.”

It wasn’t even a real relationship and he was already being told he was horrible with how he treated Kek. Of course he knew that things needed to change if they wanted to pull this ruse off in front of Isis and Odion. Those two were keenly perceptive and wouldn’t be easy to fool. He glanced at Yuugi, rubbing the back of his head. He was startled and relieved that Yuugi was handling this so well. 

“That better be why you’re taking the time off or else there will be a massive intervention.”

“Don’t worry. That’s why.”

“Good, because I was serious about that. I was even going to bring Seto and Mokuba in.”

“Please. Have mercy.” The last thing that he wanted was to be confronted by the adorable gremlin that was Mokuba. “Kek’s siblings are coming over and want to visit with him so he’s freaking out. Tomorrow, I wanted to spend the day with him.”

“Good.” Yuugi nodded, as if approving of his decision. “Be supportive. He’ll need that.”

“I don’t need to be told.”

“Obviously you do if you’ve been ignoring your own boyfriend.”

“I suddenly regret telling you.”

“Too late. You told me. Now I get to help you fix your relationship before it’s ruined.”

“Do I want to know how and why?”

“Look, you and Kek both need and deserve some happiness. And if that comes in through you two dating, I’m all for it. I just won’t tolerate you keeping him at a distance for whatever reason.”

“You don’t mind that I’m with him?” Atem felt his heart race.

“I mean, it’s a bit of a shock, but no. I don’t mind.”

Hearing Yuugi’s acceptance made Atem feel like this was going to actually work, that they were going to be able to pull off this ruse in front of Kek’s siblings. 

Kek practically slammed the door behind him once he was inside his apartment. He gripped his hair and dropped to the floor. He felt himself spiraling. He was feeling too much all at once and he couldn’t process any of it.

He couldn’t stop feeling like he was drowning in the ocean of emotions. His throat tightened. He couldn’t breathe. “Stop. Stop. Stop,” he whispered. He thunked his head against the door, trying to get control over himself. 

He felt giddy that he had Atem’s help. He felt anxiety burrowing in his veins. And dozens of other emotions boiled beneath his skin. He hated when he felt like this. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried pushing it all out of his mind, distance himself away from it.

Tiny paws settled on his legs, forcing him to look down. “Khepri,” he whispered. He released his hair from the tight grip and reached out to the cat.

The cat crawled up into his arms, purring loudly. He felt a smile tug at his lips. The emotions all bled away as he listened to the sound of his cat. Somehow, Khepri always knew what he needed. 

Ever since the cat came into his life, Khepri helped Kek in more ways than one. There’d once been a time where he didn’t want to climb out of bed, but having Khepri gave him a reason. He smiled as Khepri butted his head against Kek’s jaw. “Yes. I love you, too,” he said. Khepri was his normal. The normal he wanted and didn’t want anyone else to judge him for. 

Khepri climbed up onto his shoulders. Kek knew what Khepri was about to do.

“Khepri. No. Don’t.” Kek released a squeal as Khepri sank in his claws and began munching on his scalp. While there was a slight sting, he found the cat’s antics more amusing than anything.

Khepri gave him a couple more bites before licking his hair.

“You’re a brat,” Kek said fondly, feeling even more grounded than he did before. The emotions were distant from his consciousness. He stood. Khepri’s claws dug in as he balanced himself on Kek’s shoulder. 

He went to the kitchen.

Khepri jumped onto the pantry.

“What are you doing? You know you’re not allowed up there.” He opened the pantry.

Khepri meowed and stuck his head into the pantry.

Kek pulled out the cat treats. “You have to get down before you can get any.” 

Khepri jumped down and rubbed against Kek’s legs, looking up pitifully.  
Kek crouched, pouring some treats into his palm and offered it to the cat who began to eat from his hand. “My good boy,” he praised. Once the treats were all devoured, he put the container back in the pantry and petted the top of the cat’s head.

He stood and pulled his hair back and went into the dining room. Even though he felt better, he still wanted to let it out instead of letting it remain bottled up. He pulled out the chair and made himself comfortable. His mind remained blank as he set his cello between his legs.

He closed his eyes as he tightened the bow strings. The first note was soft. Testing what he was feeling. The instrument always seemed to know better than he did what he felt. He could envision accompanying sounds melding with the notes that followed.

He swayed to the music filling the air of his apartment. In his mind’s eye, he could picture himself playing on a stage to an audience of one. More emotions flowed through the strings as he gave into the strange fantasy of music.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is ahead of schedule, but I'm doing a lot of work around the house and I wasn't sure if I'd have time this Sunday to post it. So, here's the second chapter a full day before it's due.

The morning air was crisp with a slight chill. Atem, oftentimes, missed the heat of Egypt. That was at least a constant during the day instead of the frequently changing weather of Domino City. He rubbed his hands together, attempting to warm them through the gloves. He was making his way to Kek’s apartment, hoping that the blond was already awake.

That night, he’d had trouble sleeping, unable to shut his brain off or divert it from thoughts about Kek. He felt like he was going out of his mind. He wanted to be closer to Kek, to monopolize his time. The fake dating offer awakened something in Atem and he wasn’t sure what it was that had awoken.

Even though he was pretty sure he didn’t have permission to use the spare key, Atem unlocked the door to Kek’s apartment, feeling grateful that he’d actually remembered Bakura mentioning offhandedly where Kek was living. He quietly let himself into the apartment.

It was nice and warm inside, making him breathe a sigh of relief. Sound music floated within the apartment. It was sad but beautiful. 

Figuring that it might have been just a really good radio, Atem closed the door and walked further into the apartment. He didn’t see any cat lazing around. Why he expected it to come and greet him, Atem wasn’t sure. 

He carefully peeled off his gloves and looked around. Sitting in the dining room with the table pushed almost flush against the wall, was Kek. His eyes were closed and wild hair pulled back as his fingers almost seemed to dance across the neck strings of a cello. He swayed as he drew the bow over the cello.

He wore a simple pair of pants with a loose, knitted sweater that hung off one shoulder. 

Atem’s breath caught, completely enraptured by the beauty that was Kek with that instrument. Seeing Kek in such a relaxed, peaceful state made Atem’s heart race. There was no way that Kek hadn’t found a way to adjust to being his own person. Even if it wasn’t completely the way others felt it should be.

Atem sat down on the arm of the couch, watching Kek from a distance so he could see Kek in his entirety as he remained lost in the piece. He, too, swayed to the music, allowing himself to become swept up within the notes. He felt the music fill his senses. Emotions washed over him as if the music was casting some sort of spell over him.

He couldn’t pull his gaze from Kek. His heart swelled within his chest. 

Atem envied the cello for bringing such peace to Kek, wishing that he was the one to do it instead. Despite the jealousy, Atem loved seeing how Kek’s fingers moved deftly over the strings. No hesitation.

The music felt like it was truer magic than shadow magic ever was. It suited Kek more than blood and tainted gold. 

It soothed the turbulent air that always seemed to spiral around Kek.

Kek drew out the final, soulful note, releasing a low breath as his eyes opened. He looked up. “What are you doing here, Starfish?”

Atem was stunned by the tone, though he had to ignore the weird nickname. He’d expected anger and discomfort, not the softness. It sounded shy and vulnerable. For the first time, Atem could truly see Kek and not the alter ego that he’d once been. 

Kek placed the cello on a stand with absolute care. 

“I wanted to visit you,” Atem said, straightening. “I shouldn’t have let myself in. I’m sorry.” The apology left his lips without trouble. He still struggled with owning his mistakes - he’d once been a pharaoh, mistakes weren’t in his vocabulary, nor were apologies. 

Kek glanced at him with a bewildered expression. “Are you feeling alright? You’re apologizing to me.”

“I do know how,” Atem said.

“Yes, but you don’t normally actually say it. At least not to those not in your little friendship cult.”

Atem wanted to embrace Kek right then. He wanted to run his fingers through Kek’s hair and apologize for all the hardships he’d gone through, for all the discrimination he had faced, for every apology he’d never received. His fingers dug into his palms as he fought the urge. “What was that piece you were playing?” he asked, needing to change the subject before his impulsiveness seized him and cause him to get punched in the face.

“It was the main theme from Schindler’s List. At least, a version of it.”

Atem wasn’t familiar with the title. “Umm…”

Kek looked over at him. “Maybe one day, I’ll show it to you,” he said. “Or I can just loan you a copy. Whichever works.” Kek released the tension on the bowstrings and carefully put it in a case.

“I’ll watch it with you,” Atem said, wanting to jump at the chance to spend more time with Kek in a more domestic manner.

Kek’s cheeks grew ruddy. “I… okay.”

“Have you eaten yet?” Atem asked.

“No. I always practice first thing in the morning,” Kek said.

“I’ll make you something.”

“You cook?” Kek questioned.

“Yes. I wanted to learn since I couldn’t back then.” Atem went into the kitchen. He glanced over his shoulder at Kek who stood in the doorway with a twisted, pained expression. “Kek?”

“Atem… don’t treat me differently just because we’re… because we’re doing this ruse.”

Atem offered a smile. “I won’t. Shockingly, I do enjoy our little interactions. I mean, I will have to be a bit nicer or else they’ll worry that the relationship is abusive.” Atem opened the fridge and pulled out some random items. He was used to working with a bit of meat since the others were such meat loving fiends, but he knew Kek preferred to keep most meats from his diet.

“I doubt they’ll care…” Kek mumbled.

“They will. You’re still family to them.” Atem set up the items he needed. He checked the drawers for knives. “Where-”

Kek opened a drawer next to the stove and pulled out a knife, offering it handle first. 

A smile pulled at Atem’s lips, happy and impressed that Kek knew what he was looking for without him having to finish his question. “Thank you.”

Kek shrugged and picked up a small bowl of water from the floor. He dumped it into the sink and washed the bowl.

Atem watched him for a moment before returning to the food he was cutting up. There was a bit of leftover tofu that he added to the mix.

Kek sat on the counter once he put the bowl of fresh water on the floor. “What are you making?”

“Stir Fry with a side of rice,” Atem said. He found the spices and smiled when he saw a thing of red pepper flakes. “Next time I cook for you, I’ll be sure to try out other recipes that I think you’ll like.”

“Next time?” Kek questioned. “There’s a next time? Why? I don’t understand. After my siblings leave, everything will go back to the way things were.”

“I don’t really want things to go back to how it was. I want to be able to watch you play again.”

Kek arched a brow. “Were you really that enraptured by the music that you’re gonna creep on the only person you know who can play?”

“Something like that,” Atem said. He got a small spoon and scooped a bit of the stir fry up. He turned and offered it to Kek. “Try.”

Kek glanced at the food then at Atem.

“You’ve been here watching me. It’s not poisoned,” he said.

Kek slowly leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the spoon.

Atem watched, fixated on Kek’s mouth.

Kek brought a hand up to his mouth. “Mmn, it’s mouth angry,” he said, keeping his mouth covered as he spoke.

“Mouth angry? You mean spicy?”

Kek rolled his eyes, swallowing. “Duh. I just prefer my term,” he said. He licked his lips. 

Atem had to shake himself to keep from staring. “What do you think?”

“Good. I like things that are mouth angry.”

Atem chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He went back to the food, stirring everything. Once the food was ready, he got the plates. He was stunned by how quickly he was adapting to the layout of Kek’s kitchen. It felt natural to him. Sure, the location of items didn’t make logical sense to him, but he felt like he could adapt if given the chance. 

He filled the plates then tapped Kek’s thigh. “Time to get down.” He felt Kek’s muscles tense beneath his touch.

Kek pulled his leg away from Atem’s hand and hopped down. “The table is usable for eating,” he said. 

Atem picked up the plates. “You go sit.”

“You’re being all weird, Atem,” Kek complained. “I don’t like it.” 

“I’m just bringing you the food.”

Kek’s eyes narrowed, but he sat down. “You’re either high, drunk, possessed or an alien. Which is it?”

“Neither,” Atem said, setting the plates on the table. “I’m just…” He released a breath. Ever since he spotted Kek playing the cello, it was like he was coming to the realization of something crucial and important. He wanted so much more than ever before and he wasn’t completely sure what he wanted. “I’m out of my element here, Kek. Even though this isn’t a real relationship-” Why did his chest ache at that? “-I want to help make others truly believe that we are. But dating wasn’t exactly a thing in my life…”

“Then you’re trying too hard and it’s making this weird,” Kek said.

“And how exactly am I supposed to act?”

“Do I look like someone who has an active dating life?” 

Atem’s jaw tightened at the thought of someone else dating Kek. He’d rather see the world ripped apart than for someone else to get close to Kek like that. He didn’t want to share Kek with anyone else.

“Hey,” came Kek’s voice. He felt a hand touch his chest, drawing him away from potentially darker thoughts rising up. “You’re getting a demented look on your face.”

Atem looked down at Kek. He released a breath. He couldn’t let himself go down that path. It wasn’t right. And Kek sounded genuinely concerned. Atem didn’t want Kek to be worried over him. “Looks like this is going to be a learning experience for both of us.” He lightly brushed loose strands of hair from Kek’s face before slowly pulling hair-tie off of the wild locks. He watched as Kek’s hair fluffed out once freed.

Kek looked like rays of light in the night sky’s horizon. 

“Beautiful,” Atem whispered to himself.

Kek chewed on his bottom lip and turned toward the food. “The food will get cold,” he said.

Atem didn’t feel hungry. At least, not for food. The hunger he felt was for something else. Something more carnal. He wanted to claim Kek’s lips and rule them. He wanted Kek’s tongue against his.

The desire baffled him and allured him. He slowly took his seat. The meal passed in silence, the air tense between them. And Atem didn’t know how to ease it up. How were they going to make others believe that they were dating when there was growing tension between them.

“I… don’t know if we’ll have to kiss in front of them to help sell the con,” Kek said, breaking the silence between them.

“Should we go on the assumption that we might have to?” Atem asked, his heart racing in his chest. All the dreams and wishes he didn’t know he even had were coming true.

Kek glanced over at Atem with an unreadable expression. The fact Atem couldn’t read the usually clear as day expression left him feeling uneasy.

Atem scooted his chair back. “I’ll go put these in the sink to be washed.” He went to stand, but a hand settled over his.

“Wait…” Kek slowly climbed onto Atem’s lap, his arms draped over the back of the chair.

Atem swallowed, feeling his adam’s apple bob in his throat. “Kek?” he questioned, absently cupping one of Kek’s thighs.

“We should practice so we don’t look like bumbling idiots in front of them,” Kek whispered, leaning close.

“You seem rather eager to kiss me.”

Kek chuckled, the tips of the noses brushing. “Au contraire, I’d rather rip my tongue out than shove it down your throat.”

Atem didn’t have the time to retort before Kek’s lips were pressing against his. Instantly, he sank into the kiss. Each pass of their lips made him crave more. Atem flicked his tongue against the seam of Kek’s lips. Beneath his hand, Atem felt Kek tense. He pulled his tongue back. He lightly nipped Kek’s bottom lip and sucked on it. 

It shouldn’t have felt right to have Kek’s mouth pressed to his, but it did. Atem enjoyed how it felt. Back when he had been pharaoh, he hadn’t gotten the opportunity to experience this kind of connection to another. There hadn’t been enough time.

His lungs burned for oxygen, making him wonder how people in movies could stand to kiss for long periods. He parted away from Kek’s lips. He could see the beautiful redness blossoming on Kek’s flesh. 

Atem lifted his hand and trailed his thumb across Kek’s bottom lip. He liked the way Kek looked with his lips lightly swollen.

Kek trembled slightly against him, a soft breath escaping his lungs.

“Kek?” Atem whispered.

“I…” Kek jerked away completely and got to his feet. His eyes looked around the house. “I… uhh, I need to water the plants outside.” Kek hurried to the porch and closed the sliding glass door behind him, leaving Atem sitting alone at the table.

Kek’s actions baffled Atem. He wasn’t sure how to react, or what he could have possibly done wrong. He glanced around the room, taking in the sights to try and distract himself.

There was a bookshelf across the room, a couple plants scattered about the room that Atem couldn’t tell if they were real or fake, with a laptop sitting on a table, looking like it had seen much better days. On a wall there was a small television mounted.

He considered getting the dishes, but decided that it wouldn’t hurt to let them wait just a bit longer.

His eyes drifted back to the books. There were several that looked to be well read from a distance, but Atem couldn’t tell what all Kek kept.

Atem gave into his curiosity while Kek was busying himself with the plants on the porch. He stood from the table, glancing at the sliding door briefly to watch Kek toy with the overgrowing aloe vera. Its state was reminiscent of Kek’s hair. He almost laughed at the comparison. 

He went to Kek’s bookshelf to browse the titles, absently tracing his lips. They still tingled from the kiss. He hadn’t wanted it to end when it did. He’d wanted to lean back in and reclaim them.

He shook his head, feeling insane for liking the kiss. Atem diverted his attention to the bookshelf, figuring that maybe he could find something that they could bond over. He saw music books for several different instruments, making Atem wonder how many Kek could play. There were poetry books, startling Atem since he didn’t think Kek was the type to read poetry. Obviously, there was quite a lot to learn about the blond. He saw some classics that Yuugi had mentioned to him on several occasions and random nonfiction books. There was a section dedicated to random fiction novels. He even saw some book about a geisha’s life or something of that nature, but nothing on Kek’s shelf had a copy on Atem’s. 

Seeing the shelves made Atem’s stomach sink. There wasn’t much that they had in common. He picked up a folder that had been crammed into the shelf and opened it. It was filled with veterinary paperwork for the cat that Atem had yet to see.

“You’re reading Khepri’s vet file?”

“You named your cat Khepri?” Atem looked over as Kek closed the door. 

Kek shrugged. “Why not?”

Atem glanced at the file. “Tell me about him,” he said, putting the folder away before turning to look at Kek.

Surprise flashed over Kek’s face. “You… want to know about my cat?” He hugged his arms, as if shielding himself.

“He obviously means quite a lot to you.” Atem held out his arms to Kek with a silent ‘come here’ between them.

Kek nodded. “He… always hung out on my porch,” he said, going over. 

Atem looped his arms around Kek’s waist, bringing their bodies close. His thumbs rubbed small circles into Kek’s lower back. 

“I began feeding him.” Kek laid his head against Atem’s hair, flattening the spikes. “One morning, I found him curled up against the door, shivering so I let him in and he hasn’t left since.”

While Atem was sure there was a bit more to the story somewhere, he didn’t press for more. Instead, Atem reached up and cradled Kek’s face tenderly. That kiss had confirmed to him that he did, in fact, have feelings for Kek. Feelings that had seeded at some point without his knowledge. Feelings that ran deeper than even his bonds with Yuugi and his friends. He wanted all of this to be real. He wanted Kek to be his.

He met Kek’s gaze. He hoped that Kek would see his feelings and possibly feel the same. Atem rose to the balls of his feet, tilting his head back so their lips could meet.

Kek’s mind felt pleasantly buzzed as Atem brought their lips together for a second time. His anxieties and awkwardness ebbed away as they continued to press together. The kiss turned into one and then two and soon enough he gave up trying to keep count. 

Atem manhandled him until he was pressed up against the bookshelf. The edge dug slightly against the scars, but all Kek could focus on was the friction of their mouths.

He buried his fingers into Atem’s hair. When they’d first kissed, he’d expected and feared that it would feel uncomfortable and disgusting. His first kiss had been with someone who made him feel like they were wiggling a slug in his mouth and were trying to shove it down his throat. When he’d felt Atem’s tongue earlier, he’d momentarily flashed back to that moment. He feared that kissing Atem would feel the same way, but to his surprise, Atem didn’t repulse him. He parted his lips this time for Atem, wanting to rid himself of that horrid memory. Atem’s tongue felt right as it slid against his, drawing him into a dance.

He wanted to lose himself, to let go and let Atem have full control over him and his senses.

And that terrified him.

He broke from the kiss, breathing harshly as he whispered, “Wait, wait, wait.”

Atem gave him some space. “Kek?” he questioned.

Kek covered his face, not wanting to see the flush on Atem’s cheeks or the delicious swell of his lips. The ex-pharoah’s appearance alone tempted him. “Sorry,” he murmured. “I just… too much, too fast.” He couldn’t sort out his emotions. Everything inside of him screamed for more. So much more than this ruse. 

The thought of all this between possibly being real flirted with his mind and all Kek wanted to do was throw Atem away from him and hide from it.

Atem pulled him close. For a moment, Kek tensed, ready to strike out at Atem. Slowly, he sank into the embrace, squeezing his eyes shut. This wasn’t supposed to be how it went. He wasn’t supposed to actually want to keep Atem around. “It’s all right, Kek,” he whispered. “Take your time.”

He stepped away, giving Kek space. 

Kek released a breath. “You’re still acting weird,” he said.

“I’m just trying to-”

“I don’t mind it completely,” Kek added. “It’s just weird.” He wasn’t sure what exactly was going on. Everything that Atem did made him feel warm inside. He wanted to stay wrapped up in Atem’s arms. He preferred it when Atem more or less ignored him as he vied for Atem’s attention. The way things were he understood.

He took in a breath, closing his eyes. 

“So,” Atem began awkwardly, “do you play other instruments?”

The change in conversation was a relief for Kek. It gave him a chance to distance himself from emotions that he didn’t understand. “Considering learning other instruments,” he said. “I just haven’t decided which others to try.”

“How did you get interested in the cello?” Atem asked, moving a bit further from Kek to put more space between them.

“I’d seen a video of someone playing it…” Kek said slowly. His love for the cello didn’t start out in innocent means. “It caught my attention and I decided to learn.”

“Was it easy?” 

“Fuck no.” Kek laughed. “I nearly smashed it because I was struggling with it.” The memory of his rage and frustration still rang clear in his mind. He had practiced and practiced and it wasn’t until he’d almost given up that he’d actually managed to create a real note. That one little note gave him the strength to persevere and keep practicing. “Even though it was difficult, I don’t regret it. It gives me an outlet and gives the punching bag a reprieve.” 

“Punching bag? You have a punching bag?”

Kek saw light in spark in Atem’s eyes. He nodded. “Yeah. If you want, I can pick up a set of gloves for you so you can practice with it as well.” The offer took both of them by surprise. Kek bit the inside of his cheek.

“I’d like that. A lot, actually. I’ve always wanted to learn. I just…” Atem shrugged.

“I’ll get you gloves then and you can come over anytime. A thank you for helping me with my family and all.” 

Atem leaned to Kek, as if about to kiss him. Kek held his breath, torn between wanting it and wanting to reject the kiss. Before Atem could kiss him, however, he pulled away with a sheepish look. He dropped onto the couch.

The fact Atem was making an effort to respect his own statement of allowing Kek to set the pace made Kek want to embrace Atem and sink into the tension between them, let it coil taut and snap. He rubbed his hands against his pants, trying to ease the dampness on his palms. “How do you unwind?” 

“Aside from cooking? I paint.”

“Really?” Kek climbed into his armchair and draped his legs over the side.

“Abstract. It’s not actually that good, but I don’t care since it’s more for me than others. When I’m not doing either of those, I tend to game with the others.”

Kek internally winced, feeling annoyance swell up inside of him at the mention of that friendship loving cult. 

“Why don’t you play games anymore?” Atem asked, keeping Kek from falling into dark thoughts.

Kek sighed softly. “It’s hard to play by yourself. And playing Duel Monsters is…” He trailed, staring off at nothing. “It’s difficult considering how I was when I last played.” He couldn’t even bring himself to look at his old deck.

“If you want, I can play with you. It doesn’t have to be Duel Monsters. I like the game and all, but after being challenged endlessly to rematches by Kaiba, I found myself wanting to explore all sorts of other forms of entertainment and-” Atem cut himself off, blushing deeply. “Rambling. I’m sorry.”

Kek looked over at him, feeling amused. He wanted to close the distance between them and pinch Atem’s cheeks.. “I have senet…” he offered.

Atem’s eyes lit up. “You have a senet board?” 

It’d been an impulse purchase. Even though he didn’t have someone to play with, he enjoyed having it. The moment he’d gotten it, he’d set it up to stare at the pieces. Emotion had well up inside of him. He’d remembered back when he and Marik were still one, and they’d played against Rishid who’d had fun teaching them the rules. Kek was certain that during at least one of their games Rishid had thrown it so they could win.

Kek quickly pushed back the memory. “Yeah. If you want, I can get it.” He offered a smile to Atem. 

“Yes! Please, yes. It’s been a long time since I got to play.” Atem all but launched from the couch onto Kek. His arms wound around Kek firmly. Had he not been sitting, Kek was certain that the force of Atem’s hug would have knocked them to the ground. 

Kek felt uncertain, but he looped his arms around Atem. He told himself that it was just to avoid him falling to the ground and potentially hitting the coffee table. It had nothing to do with how his head felt light and his heart raced. And he wasn’t offering to play senet with Atem because he wanted to see Atem honestly happy and enjoying himself.

He tucked his face to Atem’s hair, breathing in the soft amber musk that was laced in the locks. “Atem, in order for me to get the game, you’ll need to let me up,” he said. He tried not to flush, realizing that Atem was pressed so very, very close. His blood threatened to rush south. He could feel how his body fitted easily against Atem’s. 

Atem laughed, squeezing him once more before moving off of Kek.

Kek stood. “Wait here,” he said. He hurried from the room, needing a second to recover from the budding arousal. He took a breath and took the board from the stand on the far end of the room. He glanced over and saw Khepri curled up in a tote box that’d been tossed into the corner of the room. He smiled and petted Khepri. “Not ready to meet our guest?” he asked.

Khepri opened his eyes and swatted at his hand, looking disgruntled at being woken up.

“All right. All right. I’ll leave you be.” He wet his lips as he went to the door, feeling nervous. He returned to the living room. “Remember the rules?” he asked.

“You bet your ass I do,” Atem said. He moved aside some of the random items Kek had scattered on top of the coffee table to make room for the game.

Kek knelt down on the floor and set the game on the table. “Which do you want to be?” he asked. 

“I want to have the blue.” Atem said.

“First or second?” He knew that picking who went had more official ways, but he wanted Atem to have a choice.

“Second,” Atem said. “I want to see how you open the game.” 

Kek glanced at Atem with amusement. “You want to analyze my strategy? Boy, I’m about to give you a headache.”

“Why’s that?”

Kek grinned and leaned close. “This is the one game I don’t use one.”

“No strategy? Scandalous.” Atem mirrored the grin.

Kek set up the board and threw the dice sticks. A three. He glanced at his pieces and selected the first one to move. 

Atem rolled a two and pushed Kek’s piece back. 

He rolled again. Another two. Kek loved moving the first piece more and more until he got it off the board. That was the only thing that could be said about his game play when it came to senet. 

Atem rolled a four and took the lead.

They continued to play, keeping to the rules, but it appeared that they both maintained no clear strategy.

Kek was first to get a piece off the board - the one he always loved to move first. He gave a cheer of excitement that startled Atem and startled Khepri in the next room. He heard the thump of his cat jolting on top of the tote.

“Sorry, Khepri,” Kek called.

“Damn, that was louder than I’d expected.”

Kek blushed. “Sorry. Let’s continue…” He’d managed to get a second piece off the board, and Atem had gotten his first piece off the board before Kek could get a third. Kek tried to figure out what Atem was doing. Several times, Atem had a clear opening to make moves that would move pieces off the board, but had chosen to move a different piece. 

It wasn’t until he really looked that Kek realized that Atem was purposely moving his pieces so they were mostly on the final row of the board and had limited Kek’s ability to move. He cursed when he hit the House of Water. It’d been funny when Atem had landed on it and had to move a piece back a row, but now that he was on the receiving end, Kek regretted finding humor in it.

It wasn’t long before they were tied with how many pieces were on the board and how many they’d moved off. Every move counted and Kek wondered if he should have used some sort of strategy against Atem, but quickly realized that it wasn’t his style with senet and brushed the thought away. 

Win or lose, he was having fun. Even when Atem took the lead, even when Atem had two pieces left on the board and Kek had three, even when Kek accidentally sent himself to the House of Water again, even when Atem was down to one piece left, Kek was having fun. 

He could feel the aches in his cheeks from smiling so much. He felt his ribs throb from laughter as they wrestled with getting their last pieces off the board before the other, trying to out roll the other and move ahead. Of course, they both ended up landing on the House of Water again - Kek twice, though he’d never admit to that out loud.

Kek loved hearing the warm laughter coming from Atem. He loved the happy cheer when Atem managed to best him in the end. He felt his heart thunder in his chest. “Another game?” he asked, wanting to witness this moment again.

Atem grinned. “Ready to lose to me again?”

“Who says you’re going to win a second time?”

“Statistics already show that I have a higher chance,” Atem said.

Kek laughed. “A single game does not make for good statistics.” 

###  **⚣♥⚣**

Atem hadn’t wanted to leave, but it was getting late and Kek didn’t want him on the streets when it was dark. Kek’s concern for him was touching. He was pretty certain that Kek would have walked him home had Atem asked. He pushed his hands into his jacket pockets, feeling the bite of the chilly air in his fingers. He’d left Kek’s warm, homey apartment and had forgotten to grab his gloves on his way out.

Maybe he’d left them on purpose as an excuse to go back tomorrow.

He smiled to himself. Tomorrow he could potentially get his hands on a punching bag and Kek was willing to let him be over even after the family get-together. Before all this, Atem wouldn’t have thought that he’d want to spend time with Kek, but now, Atem wanted to remain close to the blond, to give his new years of life making memories with Kek.

Atem nearly squealed out loud at the thought. He felt like he was floating back home with the thought of Kek in his mind. He didn’t announce his arrival when he walked inside, wanting to stay in the euphoric bliss that he was basking in. 

He climbed the stairs up to the room he shared with Yuugi. Sharing such a confined space had been both a culture shock from his memories of being a pharaoh, and nostalgic from his and Yuugi’s time together with him trapped within the puzzle.

He went to the easel that he had set up in one corner with his collection of paints and brushes. He sat on the stool and set up a blank canvas that had already been prepared for use. Painting was his downtime hobby away from games. It was therapeutic to him. He wasn’t ever going to be a grand artist whose works would bring in a ton of money. That suited him just fine.

He selected the paints he desired for the image he wanted to bring to life. He flexed his frozen fingers, trying to get the feeling and warmth back in them. Once they weren’t quite as numb, he began painting.

Atem lost himself to the painting. Slow, methodical strokes of the brush. The memory of Kek with his cello slowly took shape on the canvas. Colors swirled around the painted figure like an aura of magic.

“You’ve been gone all day,” came Yuugi’s voice.

Atem tried to tune his partner out. He was used to Yuugi socializing with him while he painted, but this time Atem wanted to paint in peace. Nothing against Yuugi, Atem just wanted this to be private. “Yes.”

“Have you eaten?” 

Atem flicked his gaze over to Yuugi who was stretched out like a lazy feline on one of the beds, his head propped up on his palms. “Yes.”

Yuugi arched a brow. “You gonna talk to me about what happened? You were with Kek, right? How’s everything going between you two?”

Atem released a breath. “I regret it…”

“You regret it?” Yuugi repeated. “Regret what? Dating Kek? Spending time with him? Dude, don’t be a dick.”

“I’m not talking about that. Jeez. I don’t regret today, or dating him. I meant ignoring him all those times.” Atem dropped the brush into a cup of water and selected a smaller brush. “I should have given him more attention. I should have done so much more than I had. He deserves to be treated better...”

Yuugi chuckled. “Oh man, you have it so bad.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You are in love with Kek.”

Atem smiled to himself as he thought it over. He hadn’t been able to truly put a name to what he felt all day, but Yuugi knew without knowing the happenings of the day. “Yeah. I am. I really am.” He wet his lips. Now that he knew what he felt, worry nagged at him. 

“I’m happy for you two. I reiterate what I said yesterday, you two deserve happiness.” Yuugi’s eyes narrowed. “I better start seeing pictures of the two of you on social media. I want to see the cute that is the two of you together.”

“I don’t know. Kek is rather private. Maybe not Kaiba private, but you get my point.”

“Then can I  _ please  _ have a picture.”

“You’re creeping me out.”

“ _ Nooooo  _ I’m just trying to get a picture of you guys together so I can have it printed for the both of you.”

Atem shook his head. “I’m not making any promises to pictures.” He couldn’t even be sure that they’d have anything beyond a friendship once Kek’s family get-together was over. He wasn’t sure if Kek shared his feelings or if he was just going through the motions. With how readily Kek returned the kisses, and how eagerly he responded to them, Atem hoped that meant that Kek felt the same way on some level.

“Please, Atem? Just one picture. I have a great idea for a picture frame for you guys and I know Ryou would be able to help create it if I asked. Right up his occult alley.”

“Yuug…” Atem suppressed a groan. “Please don’t. I doubt that either of us would enjoy the horror show that comes out of that boy’s head.”

Yuugi snorted. “I never said it was horror. Just some bones, some mummies kissing with the words  _ True Love  _ in red-gold.”

“Twisted,” Atem mumbled, feeling torn on picturing it and rejecting the idea of it. After hanging around Ryou for all this time, even Atem could find some enjoyment in the macabre, but he wasn’t sure how Kek would handle it.

The last Atem wanted was for Kek to feel uncomfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The senet game was based on a gameplay round I had against an AI on a senet game app that I own. Kek's way of playing is me as a whole with senet.
> 
> Note for the first chapter: The book Atem had been reading was called Dragon Speaker by Elana A. Mugdan.  
> It's one of my favorite book series, I won't lie.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun chapter to write. It took a while to finish a couple scenes, but I love how everything came out.  
> This pays homage to Sita Bethel's book Cold Like Snow.
> 
> Stay safe and well to everyone out there.

Kek was waiting outside the apartment when Atem arrived. He wore a deep violet scarf around his neck and face. His hands were shoved into the pockets of a hoodie jacket. A manic grin was on his lips. Most other people would have been afraid at the look, but Atem felt his heartbeat pick up in a sprint.

“Kek!” he called, jogging the rest of the way to the blond. His own hands felt frozen. The moment he was close, Atem instinctively reached out and touched Kek’s chest to get close to the warmth. He released a breath of relief.

“Fuck. Your hands look frozen.” Kek cupped his hands around Atem’s, blowing at Atem’s fingers.

“I accidentally left my gloves here.”

“Idiot. It’s getting colder every day and you forgot your gloves…” Kek shook his head. He removed his scarf and draped it over Atem’s neck. He tugged on the ends, drawing their bodies closer.

Atem hoped that he’d receive a morning kiss, but Kek quickly released him and moved away.

“I got the gloves for you. Though first we need to get you warmed up.” Kek placed his hands on Atem’s shoulders and began walking him into the apartment.

Atem chuckled. “You’re excited about this,” he said.

“Of course. You’re going to have so much fun.”

The door closed behind them. While Khepri didn't greet the pair, Atem heard the cat’s movement. He wondered what the feline looked like and hoped to see the cat sometime soon.

Kek continued to march Atem into the bedroom. Once past the threshold, Kek let Atem go to relieve himself of the clothing layers. Kek bounced away to his dresser where a bag sat. 

Atem smiled fondly at the sight. He shrugged off his jacket and set it on the bed, unsure of where else to place it. He glanced around the space. Everything about the room screamed that it belonged to Kek. To Atem’s surprise, there was an art print of The Winged Dragon of Ra in its fiery phoenix mode hanging up on the wall. 

He smiled, wondering what made Kek want the print - aside from the amazing art obviously. His eyes landed on a book on the nightstand. He hadn’t seen the book before. He sat on the bed as Kek fussed with the gloves, removing them from the packaging.

The book was dark blue with bold words on the cover: _Cold Like Snow_. Curiosity seized Atem. He glanced at Kek who was putting his own gloves on. Atem opened the book, flipping through the contents.

His brows rose up as he skimmed over a couple of the pages. “I never would have thought you’d read erotica,” he said. “Ghost erotica at that.”

“What do you mean?” Kek looked over, confusion on his face.

Atem grinned and held up the book. “Rather kinky. Didn’t know you had it in you,” he teased, unable to help himself. He saw a massive blush stretch over Kek’s cheeks.

“Atem… I… what-” Kek dropped the gloves to the ground. “Give it back,” he yelped. He launched himself onto the bed. The mattress jolted under his weight, causing Atem to bounce.

Atem laughed and held the book out of Kek’s reach. “I don’t know. It looks rather interesting. I mean sex on the table? It’d be fun.”

“Right up until the table breaks,” Kek said.

Atem circled an arm around Kek and flipped their positions. “That is a good point.”

Kek squirmed. “I will throw you off,” he warned, but his eyes were playful. 

Atem draped his arm over the side of the bed, letting the book drop to the floor so it didn’t get bent. “Really now?” he asked, his breath fanning Kek’s face. “And how do you propose you’ll do that, hm?”

“There are ways,” Kek said. 

Atem grinned and straddled Kek’s hips. He loved the blush on Kek’s cheeks. Even though he wanted to kiss Kek senseless, to feel his entire body, Atem’s fingers found Kek’s sides.

Kek’s eyes widened as he squirmed more. “N-No!” he squealed. Laughter peeled from his lips as Atem attacked his sides with a laugh of his own.

Kek hadn’t expected to be so ticklish. Since he mostly avoided contact with others, he hadn’t really had a chance to find out before. His sides felt like they were screaming as Atem continued to tickle him. 

When Atem had straddled him, he’d hoped that Atem would do something else. Make the first move or something even though Atem had told Kek that he could set the pace.

Heat pooled in Kek’s face as tears gathered in his eyes. He tried to scoot away from the assault to his sides, but Atem didn’t let up. The sensation confused his senses. It felt enjoyable and painful; euphoria and agony. He couldn’t tell where one started and the other ended.

And then the feeling stopped. 

Kek trembled, giggles slipping from his lips still as he looked up at Atem. A sheen of sweat glossed Atem’s forehead, a soft flush darkening his cheeks as he breathed heavily and laughed as well. 

Kek felt breathless as he stared up at Atem. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually laughed so hard. An easy, warm smile played on Atem’s lips. Every time Kek saw Atem smiling toward him, it reminded him of the sun rising. And Kek wanted to be Apep, swallowing up the sun. He reached up, his fingers grasping around Atem’s cartouche necklace, and pulled him down closer.

Kek tilted his head, stealing a kiss. He felt the warmth spread into his chest as Atem’s tongue flicked at the seam of his lips. His lips parted, allowing access. 

Atem pressed close, their bodies melding together. 

A soft moan escaped Kek as he circled his arms around Atem. He wanted to let go completely, but he was scared at the same time. If he let go and lost himself to Atem and the feelings that were evoked within him, what would become of him? 

His legs coiled around Atem’s hips loosely, wanting as much closeness as he could steal from the once-pharaoh. His lips had a pleasant burn to them.

Atem’s fingers weren’t chilled anymore as they reached underneath his shirt and caressed his ribs. 

Kek arched to the touch. Each touch sent sparks of fire inside of him. He wasn’t sure if it was possible for someone to self-combust, but he felt like he would if Atem kept touching him.

Atem slowly pulled from the kiss, causing Kek to whimper and try to reclaim Atem’s lips. A soft sound left Atem’s mouth. “Kek, I really am trying to be a gentleman here,” he said.

Kek opened his eyes. He could see desire reflecting in Atem’s intense gaze. He swallowed.

Atem moved off of Kek, breathing heavily. 

Kek sat up, trying to ignore the pressure of his budding arousal pressing to his jeans. “Fuck, this is a bit embarrassing,” he said.

A breathy laugh left Atem. He kissed Kek’s shoulder. “It is normal, Kek.”

“No shit,” Kek said dryly, looking at him. “It’s just…” He chewed his bottom lip. He wasn’t sure what it was. The desire in Atem’s eyes made him feel stripped bare with liquid heat pulsing in his veins. He couldn’t put a word to what he was feeling.

“Is this going to interfere with today’s lesson with the punching bag?”

“Fuck no.” Kek scooted off the bed. He tossed the gloves and hand wraps to Atem. “Put those on.” He grabbed his own, wrapping his hands, promptly pushing the arousal to the back of his mind. 

“I always imagined them to be bigger.”

“You're thinking boxing gloves. I use MMA gloves since they feel more… natural.”

Atem went over. “Did I put them on right?”

Kek looked down and smiled. “Yes.” He checked the brace around the wrist, finding it secure. The hand wraps were properly wound around Atem’s hands. “Not too tight?” he asked.

“It’s a little uncomfortable, but that’s more because I’m not used to wearing something like this.”

Kek nodded. In the far right corner, Kek had set up his punching bag on a stand. He would have preferred having it hanging from the ceiling, but he didn’t have permission from the owner of the apartments so he made do.

“First, you need to warm up your muscles. It’ll reduce the risk of injury.”

Atem glanced at him, arching a brow.

Kek laughed and stretched an arm over his chest. “Just follow what I do,” he said. “But pay attention to what your body is telling you.” He followed his warm up routine. Whenever Atem mimicked him and his form was wrong, Kek fixed it for him. He liked being able to touch Atem’s body a little too much.

Once the warm up was over, he nodded and took a position to show Atem what to do. “Hold yourself like this.”

Atem awkwardly mirrored him.

He adjusted Atem’s stance. “Legs need to be shoulder width apart. Shift your non-dominant side forward to the bag. Knees slightly bent. There. Perfect.”

“I didn’t realize how hard it is to mimic,” Atem said.

“It’s not always easy to get it right just by visuals alone. Sometimes having someone there helps.” Kek pressed his chest to Atem’s back and lifted Atem’s hands. “Now for the arms. Shoulders and elbows stay lowered but you hold your hands up to your face.”

“Feels like boxing here,” Atem joked.

“Yes. MMA is mixed martial arts, meaning boxing is part. What we’re doing is getting you into a fighting position. In a fight, you have to protect your face.” His hand slid down Atem’s arms. “I’m going to hold the bag for you.”

“What am I going to do?”

Kek suppressed a smirk. He couldn’t help but want to tease the ex-pharaoh. “You’re going to punch.”

Atem dropped his arms and awkwardly settled them on his hips.“Well, duh. I mean… is there any specific motions?”

Kek turned and readjusted Atem’s stance, savoring the chance to touch him again. “Keep your wrist straight first off, elbows tight but not tense.” Kek touched Atem’s dominant arm. “You punch with your dominant arm, pivoting your hip and torso to put power into the punch. It’s your basic hook.” 

Atem tilted his head, looking up at Kek. “Guide me the first couple punches?” His voice was low.

“If I guide you, you might not know exactly how the punch feels.” Despite his words, Kek ran his hands down Atem’s arms. His hands practically dwarfed Atem’s and he covered his fists.

Atem pressed close to Kek’s front.

Kek shifted, going slow so Atem could learn the motions. “When you are actively training, you won’t be going slow like this.” He could see the small smile playing on Atem lips. He knew that he fell for the ploy Atem had set up, but Kek decided that he was rather fine with that. He guided Atem’s arm forward to the bag then back to the neutral position. 

He swallowed tightly. Being pressed so close to Atem made Kek’s pulse jolt. He showed Atem how to swing the punch with his non-dominant hand, then repeated the motions once again. He didn’t want to move away from Atem, but yet he also felt something primal stirring.

He stepped back. “Ready to try it on your own now?”

Atem pouted, but nodded. “I’m ready.”

Kek moved behind the punching bag as best as he could with the stand in the way. Having the distance between them made his heartbeat slow to a steady thump. He nodded to Atem, showing that he was ready to start.

### ⚣♥⚣

Atem dropped to the floor, panting. Sweat darkened his clothes. “I don’t think I’ve ever _ever_ felt my muscles like I am now.” 

Kek laughed and got them some water. “Welcome to a resistance workout. I won’t say that it’ll get easier because that’s not completely true, but it won’t be as much of an ass beating as you get into the practice.” 

“I feel out of shape,” Atem laughed. 

“That’s because you are. I think only your legs are the only thing on you that gets regular exercise.”

Atem propped himself up on his forearms. “For some reason, I feel a bit offended there.”

Kek grinned and blew a kiss. “You _probably_ should, Starfish.”

Atem pursed his lips, torn between wallowing in the offense or letting it slide for this time only. “I outta turn him over my knee,” he muttered to himself. Though the thought of having Kek bent over his knees, his backside up in the air, ready and waiting to be spanked left him feeling even hotter than before. The cool-down didn’t help cool him off. He closed his eyes. Throughout the practice movements of the workout, he had trouble concentrating on what Kek was showing him. He was so focused on how it felt to be pressed against Kek. Even after Kek moved behind the punching bag, Atem wanted to rub himself against Kek, to feel his firm muscles beneath his hands.

He accepted the bottle of water and pressed it to his forehead. The cold helped distract him from everything. He groaned softly.

His ears pricked up the soft sound of movement. He cracked open an eye and saw a fairly fluffy tortoiseshell cat climbing down from a cat tower that was set up near the dining room. He sat up, watching the cat.

Intense amber eyes were fixed on him. He felt his breath freeze in his lungs. “So… fluffy!” he gasped.

The cat stilled, its ears flattening at his outburst.

“Sorry. Sorry.”

“That’s Khepri,” Kek said. 

Atem held out his hand to the cat. He watched the cat’s nose wiggle as it sniffed the air. He smiled softly and waited. Slowly, Khepri closed the distance between them. He ran his thumb over the center of the cat’s head.

Khepri purred and climbed onto his legs, butting its head against his hand for more affection. 

He smiled and began petting the cat more. “I love cats,” he said. “Back in ancient times, I would fall asleep in random places and wake up completely covered in them.”

“That’s rather adorable,” Kek said. “He’ll cuddle with others in their sleep.”

Atem’s smile fell slightly as he watched the cat. “I doubt I’ll get sleepy time cuddles with him sadly.”

“Well… I wouldn’t be opposed to you staying the night every once in a while,” Kek said slowly, looking everywhere but at Atem and Khepri.

“I wouldn’t be overstaying my welcome in your space?” Atem sensed the tension in Kek’s body. He could see it. Worry stabbed at Atem. He wanted to jump up and go to Kek’s side, but he wasn’t sure why Kek was suddenly acting skittish.

Kek wrung his hands together, dropping his own water bottle on the floor.

“Kek?”

Khepri stepped away from Atem, watching Kek carefully.

Kek yanked on his hair. Seeing the happiness on Atem’s face fade into sadness made his chest ache. He wanted to tell Atem to move in so he could stay with Khepri, get Khepri’s cuddles. This wasn’t supposed to be how things were, though. He turned away, muttering to himself. “No. No. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. I wasn’t supposed to actually develop _feelings_.” His expression twisted as he spoke the word. It tasted bitter on his tongue. He wasn’t supposed to be the one to find happiness. He was just a cast-off that was given shape and its own form.

He dropped to his knees, tugging harshly on his hair. He’d killed their father - his and Marik’s. He’d tried to kill his siblings and hurt countless people. He didn’t deserve to have feelings with another person. Least of all Atem, the very person he’d attempted to slaughter, the very person that the Ishtar clan had dedicated their lives to, the very person whose memories his clan had protected and passed down.

He feared letting others in. If he were to hurt them by mistake, Kek wouldn’t be able to stand himself, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. 

Khepri placed his paws on Kek’s knees, rubbing his head against Kek’s elbows. It was clear he was trying to calm Kek before he spiraled into a full blown meltdown, but even his beloved cat wouldn’t be enough to keep him grounded. 

He didn’t feel stable enough to get up to get to his cello and he couldn’t return to the punching bag. He couldn’t punish his muscles to escape his emotions. He didn’t know what to do and he feared what could happen.

Fingers wrapped around his.

“Stop. You’ll hurt yourself.”

Of course, it had to be Atem to come along and play the hero. Why couldn’t the ex-pharaoh just let him self-destruct? Surely he didn’t share the same feelings as Kek. 

“Let go,” Kek growled.

“No,” Atem said firmly. 

Kek shook his head. “Let me just…” He squeezed his eyes shut.

Atem pulled him to his chest. “I’ve got you. It’s all right.”

“No. It’s not. This wasn’t supposed to…”

“I didn’t expect it either,” he said.

Kek looked over at him. This whole ruse was playing with fire. He’d gotten too close to the sun and he was about to burst with all the warmth that Atem was filling his body with. He could feel the sunlight filling every crack inside of his soul. He shook his head. “You can’t possibly mean that. Why the fuck would you want to look at me with anything but disgust?”

Atem brushed his thumb over Kek’s cheek, spreading moisture across his skin. “Because you’re strong and amazing. You’re talented and courageous.” Atem kissed the top of his head. “You’re loving and funny. You make leaving the field of reeds worth it. You’re the true paradise.” 

Kek’s face scrunched up slightly. “Atem…” he began slowly. “I think that went way beyond corny.”

“Yeah… I was just thinking that myself. I was trying, but I suck at being all sweet.”

“You really were trying. A little too hard.” Though Kek felt surprisingly at ease. Things felt normal and comfortable. He felt himself grounding in his emotions, as if Atem’s cheesy lines had given him something to cling to in the maelstrom. “I… can’t even look at you now,” he said, lowering his hands to his lap. He wanted to hate Atem for making him feel at peace, for helping ground him. He wanted to kiss Atem and touch him. The dueling sensations made Kek want to curl up and hide away from it all, to lock himself away from even himself.

Atem huffed. “I told you I suck at this.”

“I can tell,” Kek said bluntly. “Sweet talking is not one of your talents.”

“Never said it was.” He squeezed Kek closer. “I’m glad that you seem calmer now.”

“The corny was more traumatizing than facing the feels,” Kek said, pressing his forehead to Atem’’s jaw.

“You can be such a dick sometimes, you know that right?”

Kek’s lips twitched as he fought a smile. “And yet you love me anyways.”

Atem tucked his fingers beneath Kek’s chin and tilted his head back. The tender touch made Kek’s heart ache and race. For a moment, he feared that Atem would kiss him, and to his horror, he craved it as well. “That I do,” Atem whispered. Kek hadn’t expected Atem to actually agree to his words. “Until you’re ready, I’ll be here for you however you want me to be.”

“Stay the night,” Kek whispered. “I don’t want to be alone. Even though I have Khepri, I’ll end up thinking and then I’ll just drive myself crazy…. _er_.” He closed his eyes, leaning closer. He felt desperate for the contact.

“I didn’t bring any spare clothes.”

“You can borrow some of my things… plus you’ll be able to cuddle with Khepri.”

Atem slipped a hand beneath Kek’s shirt, his thumb caressed Kek’s hip. “All right. I’ll stay, but first I’ll need to get us some food.”

“We can always order out,” Kek said.

“Sacrilege,” Atem laughed. “I’m a cook. I prefer my creations.” He brushed his nose against Kek’s.

Kek scrunched up his nose, smiling softly. “I haven’t gone shopping yet. I typically stock up on Mondays for the week.”

“You have a scheduled day for grocery shopping?” 

“Yep.” Kek patted Atem’s knee. “We’re ordering out.” 

### ⚣♥⚣

Atem felt smaller than he already was while wearing Kek’s clothes. He was borrowing a pair of boxers and a tank top - the only things that remotely fit him. He toyed with one of the boxer legs. They were ghost printed. “Not gonna lie, I’m a bit concerned for you.”

“Why?” Kek had his hair pulled back. He was shirtless. He twisted himself to try and put massage oil on his back. 

“You and your ghosts.”

“They’re cool, Starfish. And I’m not counting you or Bakura in the cool ghost category.”

“That better be because we’re technically not ghosts anymore.”

Kek cackled. “ _Maaaaaybe_.” 

“Dick,” Atem said fondly. He frowned when he saw Kek struggling to apply the oil over the scars. He went over and took the oil from him. “Sit.” 

Kek glanced at him, but sat on the bed. “What are you doing?” he questioned.

Atem warmed some oil in his palm. He glanced at Kek. “Helping you.” He allowed himself to take a moment to admire the defined muscles that Kek had. The light almost seemed to make Kek glow. There was an almost inhuman, celestial beauty that defined Kek. Not even the sennen items held this much beauty. 

Across Kek’s left pectoral was a jagged scar-like mark. Atem wanted to ask about it, but he didn't feel like it was the time or place. He smiled softly at Kek and sat behind him. He suppressed a wince at the sight of the scars. They were angry and the skin looked tight. Despite the scars, Kek was perfect to Atem. They didn’t define Kek, they were a part of him just as blood was a part of his body. “Doing this isn’t easy when you’re alone, is it?”

“Not really.”

Atem dribbled some of the oil onto Kek’s back. “I’ll be gentle.” The last thing he wanted was to hurt Kek. He carefully rubbed his hands over the scars, smearing oil every inch of damaged flesh. His thumbs rubbed small circles into Kek’s back, carefully loosening some of the muscles.

Kek released a sharp breath.

“Is this all right?” Atem asked.

“Yes. It just… it feels good,” Kek whispered. He looked over his shoulder shyly. “Can I… um lay on my stomach?” he asked.

Atem nodded, pulling his hands back. He watched Kek stretch out on the sheets. He applied more oil to Kek’s back and massaged Kek’s muscles. So much strength and history was contained in those muscles. The secret to his memories were forever etched into Kek’s body.

Even though he couldn’t take the scars away from Kek, Atem wanted to ease the tightness of them. He massaged Kek’s back, listening to the soft sighs and moans that escaped Kek’s mouth.

“I’m not being too rough?” Atem asked, wanting to be certain. His hands traveled to the small of Kek’s back.

“No,” Kek whispered. “But that area is a bit more…” He trailed off, as if trying to figure out the word he wanted.

“Sensitive?”

Kek nodded.

Atem leaned over and kissed the back of Kek’s neck tenderly. “I’ll be gentle,” he repeated, wanting Kek to know that he was safe. He saturated Kek’s back with the oil.

Kek’s back glistened in the dim lights. 

Slowly, Atem straddled Kek’s hips.

Kek lifted his head and looked over his shoulder.

“Just getting a better angle for your back,” Atem said in assurance. He returned to running his hands over Kek’s back, slowly and carefully loosening the muscles. Each soft sigh made Atem’s stomach quiver and his blood warm. He honestly enjoyed this more than he originally thought. His groin tightened.

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm himself. This was a massage, nothing more. “How are you feeling?” he asked, wanting to distract himself.

“Like puddy,” Kek said. “I wanna just melt into the bed.”

Atem chuckled and leaned over once again. He kissed Kek’s jaw. “Should I stop before you fall asleep?”

Kek whined. “No. Don’t stop. My back’s never felt this good.”

Atem’s smile fell a bit. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You didn’t fuck up my back.” He wiggled. “Don’t stop, please?”

“For you,” Atem said. He rubbed circles using his thumbs into Kek’s shoulder blades. He lightly traced the scarred wings and the sun disc. The macabre art on Kek’s back was truly a work of horrific talent, a test of patience.

Once his hands felt numb and Kek looked about ready to nod off, Atem moved away to dry off his hands. “I’m going to leave the extra oil in place overnight so it can soak in.”

“Mm, ‘kay,” Kek murmured, cracking open an eye.

Atem knelt beside the bed and pressed their foreheads together. “I’ll be right back. Try not to fall asleep just yet.”

“I’m not sleepy,” Kek mumbled, yawning.

A chuckle broke from Atem’s lips. “Sure you’re not.” He stood and went to the bathroom. He wiped his hands on a towel. He silently hoped that it was all right to use the towel that way. He returned to the room and saw Kek sitting up, leaning partly against the headboard.

“Ready for bed?” he asked sitting on the bed beside Kek.

Kek glanced over, smiling. “Just about,” he said.

Kek laid his head on Atem’s chest, the book from earlier in hand.

Atem chuckled. “Going to use me as a pillow?” he questioned, running his fingers through Kek’s hair. 

“Yep. I wanna get some reading done before I fall asleep.” A soft, contented sigh left his lips. “That feels nice.”

“Where are you at? I can read to you.” Atem took the book. 

“You’re just doing that so you can read it as well.” 

“Perish the thought. I’m being honorable.” Atem pulled Kek closer with a laugh.

“Shit. I’m going to get struck by lightning,” jested Kek, playfully going to move away.

Atem pulled him back and kissed Kek’s cheek, trying not to laugh harder. “Get comfortable.”

Kek shifted and tangled their legs together. “Okay,” he said.

Atem smiled softly. He opened the book to where a wrinkled receipt was placed. He couldn’t help but feel amused by the sight of it. He just had to start at the chapter and began reading to Kek. The story itself seized Atem’s attention. He’d never thought to read erotica, but he found himself eager to learn more about this book.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, it took forever to actually get this chapter out. I'm deeply sorry for the wait.   
> This chapter is long and has some spice in it.

The next day, Kek and Atem were relaxing lazily on the couch, letting their muscles heal from the exercise the day before. Khepri was curled up on Atem’s chest, purring up a storm. Music played through the living room radio. Atem was reclined against Kek’s broad chest. He glanced over his shoulder at Kek who was reading over some music sheets while also keeping an arm wrapped around Atem’s waist.

Before actually getting to know Kek, Atem wouldn’t have thought that he’d ever see Kek so dedicated to something that wasn’t darkness, death and revenge. It was refreshing to see and made him fall more in love with Kek. “So, what do you do for a living? You’ve been with me every day. Not that I’m complaining.”

“Oh, I go out and mug people, commit robberies,” Kek said nonchalantly as he flipped the page.

Atem jolted upright, wrapping an arm around Khepri to keep him from going flying. “Kek!” He twisted around to look at the blond.

Kek began laughing.

Atem pouted. If he didn’t have Khepri on him, he could have crossed his arms to add to the effect of his pout. 

Kek leaned down and nipped Atem’s bottom lip.

A soft gasp escaped Atem. He released Khepri who, in turn, released a disgruntled sound and climbed onto the arm of the couch to return to sleep. Atem reached up to cup Kek’s jaw. Their lips moved slowly together, remaining chaste.

It didn’t last nearly as long as Atem would have preferred. He ran his tongue over his lips.

Kek leaned back, as if putting some space between them. “To answer your question, I play the cello for audiences. Usually at bars, restaurants and other such venues. It’s nothing special, but it brings in some decent money for me to live off of. I get to do something that I love.” 

Surprise and awe welled up inside of Atem. He was impressed by Kek’s courage as well. To go up on stage to perform a musical piece for a crowd, that took more courage than even Atem had to offer. He shifted and laid his chin on Kek’s chest. “That’s actually rather amazing,” he said. “Though I am jealous now.” He met Kek’s eyes.

“How so?”

“A bunch of strangers get to watch you play.”

A smile twisted Kek’s lips, amusement dancing in his gaze. “Well, I’m sure that you could get a front row seat if you really wanted to watch a show.”

“A private performance?” he questioned.

“But of course.”

“Mmn, I plan on taking you up on that offer very soon.” Atem nestled down against Kek’s chest once more. 

Kek toyed with Atem’s blond bangs as Atem began to doze on his chest. His heart felt overly full and warm, as if Atem’s natural light was seeping into him. It shouldn’t be his to covet, but he was greedy and he wanted to bask in it for a while longer. “Hey, Atem?”

“Hm?” Atem sounded groggy as he lifted his head.

Kek felt guilty for drawing Atem away from his nap. “I… was just wondering about that book you were reading at the Game Shop.”

The sleepiness fled Atem’s eyes. “You mean  _ Dragon Speaker _ ?” he asked.

So that was what it was called. Kek hadn’t been paying much attention to the title. He nodded.

“It’s about this girl who’d been born into a world where magic was everywhere and everyone had access to it. Everyone but her, that is. She gets bestowed a quest by a dragon god to stop a supreme evil and protect a dragon who’d escaped imprisonment,” Atem said in an eager rush. It took Kek a moment for the information to really digest in his brain. “It’s a great story. I’ve read it several dozen times now. I really can relate to the main character on some level which makes the read all the more enjoyable.” Atem’s face flamed. “M-Maybe one day I can read it to you if you’d like.” 

Kek felt his expression soften. “I’d like that actually. It sounds enjoyable.”

###  ⚣♥⚣

Atem hadn’t wanted to leave the comforts of Kek’s apartment, but he needed to get some clothes of his own. Plus he wanted to gather a few things to take back to the apartment. He closed the door to his house and began climbing the steps, taking two at a time. He wanted to hurry through what he needed to do and get back to Kek’s side, though his muscles still ached from yesterday’s workout.

“Atem? Is that you?” It was Yuugi.

He stopped on the stairs and called down. “Yeah. I’m not going to be here long, though.” He entered his room and pulled out a duffel bag to use. He shrugged off his clothes that he was reusing from the day before. They had a bit of a dried sweat scent to them.

Atem grabbed a towel and turned to enter the bathroom, only to see an angry but relieved Yuugi standing in the doorway. “Umm, hey?”

“Don’t you  _ hey _ me, Mister. Do you know how bloody scared I was?!” Yuugi snapped, placing his hands on his hips.

Atem wasn’t sure what Yuugi meant at first. “I’m not sure-”

“Where were you?”

It clicked right then. He’d forgotten to call Yuugi to let him know he was going to be staying over at Kek’s. “Shit…”

“Yes. Shit is quite right. I repeat, where were you?”

“At Kek’s. I’m sorry for not calling, but everything is alright. See? Can I take a quick shower now?” He stepped around Yuugi and entered the bathroom. He’d hoped that Yuugi would just wait for him to shower before finishing the scolding. 

He stripped from his remaining clothes and stepped into the showerstall, turning on the water. A burst of cold struck him immediately, causing him to hiss softly. He stepped back from the spray, waiting for it to heat.

The door opened then closed. “I’m not done talking to you.”

Atem released a heavy sigh. So much for a reprieve from being reprimanded as if he was some sort of child. He laid his head against the tiled wall. “Is sorry good enough to postpone this?”

“No. Do you have any idea how worried I was? I was close to filing a missing person’s report. I trust Kek and all, but he doesn’t live in the safest of areas. I couldn’t stop thinking about all the possibilities of what could have happened to you.”

Atem closed his eyes, stepping into the hot water stream. It’d help sooth some of the ache in his muscles. “I messed up. I’m sorry. I didn’t think.” He roughly began washing himself, wanting this entire conversation to end. He knew Yuugi meant well, but he still wasn’t used to having to alert others of his activities. That was part of the reason he never really did things on his own. It has been years since he got his own body and he hadn’t completely adjusted.

“Of course. The blood flow was going to the wrong head. You two better at least be using protection.”

Atem’s face heated. “Oh my Ra - Yuugi!” He felt his heart pounding in his throat. “I swear, it was not like that. We haven’t…. We’re not ready for that step.” Sure, the thought of being with Kek was highly appealing, but Atem wanted Kek to be certain that he was ready. 

“Really?” Surprise filled Yuugi’s tone.

“Yes. Really.” Atem turned his face to the water, wanting to drown himself in an attempt to escape this conversation.

“Then what’s going on?”

Atem scrubbed at his hair. “We’re just hanging out. He had a low moment yesterday and I stayed to comfort him. Nothing more.”

“A supportive boyfriend. You’re improving quickly.”

Atem tried not to snort. “Fuck you, Aibou,” he said, using the term of endearment to show that he wasn’t actually annoyed by the comment. 

“You’re growing up so fast. I think I’m tearing up,” Yuugi drawled exaggeratedly. 

“I will splash you,” Atem warned. The tension between them eased up. He rinsed out his hair. 

“That would mean having to let out the steam,” laughed Yuugi.

“Damn you,” Atem said, feeling a smile on his lips. No matter how much he loved spending time with Kek, Atem did love these moments with Yuugi. It was a familiar normality that he wouldn’t want to give up. Yuugi was his family, and he hoped that he could find a way for the two worlds to peacefully merge. “I won’t be here long. Just washing up and gathering a few things to take back with me.”

There was a moment of silence. It was brief, but for Atem it felt like it stretched on for an eternity. “You’re practically moving in with him,” Yuugi said sadly.

Atem shut off the water and opened the door slightly to peer out. “Not yet I’m not. You’re still stuck with me a while longer, Aibou,” he assured, grabbing his towel. He dried himself off and wrapped the towel around his waist. He stepped from the shower, seeing Yuugi leaning against the sink, arms crossed. A frown was pulling at Yuugi’s lips with a pensive look in his eyes. “Yuugi?”

“Hm?” Yuugi glanced up. He pushed away from the sink.

“Did you hear what I’d said?”

“Yeah…” Yuugi watched him for a moment before shaking his head, offering a small smile. “I hate to clue you, Atem, but I’m pretty sure that you’re going to end up spending many, many more nights with Kek. I don’t mind… completely. It’s just going to be lonely.”

Atem wrapped an arm around Yuugi, kissing the top of Yuugi’s head. “I promise. Just because I’m with Kek doesn’t mean that you won’t be my Aibou. My little brother practically.” Their foreheads pressed together. “Whenever the time comes that I do move out, I’ll just be a phone call away. Call and I’ll be there for you.”

“Thank you, Atem…” Yuugi whispered. “Now go get dressed because it’s really weird for you to hug me while practically naked.” He gave a grin. “Last thing I want to see is your naked ass.”

“You know I have a sexy ass.”

“You’re about to have a kicked ass,” Yuugi deadpanned.

Atem laughed and quickly got dressed. He packed some spare clothes and toiletries to take with him just in case he stayed the night at Kek’s again. He made sure to even stash his copy of  _ Dragon Speaker _ into his bag in case they finished  _ Cold Like Snow  _ and weren’t yet ready for bed. “I’ll give you a forewarning, I might stay the night with Kek again. Tomorrow is when Isis and Rishid want him to show up,” he informed Yuugi.

Yuugi nodded. “Thank you for warning me. Text me when you know for sure, though.”

“I’ll try,” Atem said. He picked up his bag and went down to the kitchen. He collected a couple ingredients that he’d bought on impulse last time he’d gone to the store. He had everything to make some pasta from scratch with Alfredo sauce. Usually he’d prepare chicken with it, but with Kek still more or less a vegetarian, he was going to improvise the dish to suit Kek’s preferences. He gathered some fresh vegetables to throw in as well as a package of tofu. Even though Atem loved meat, he did like the ingenuity that came with tofu. Just in case, he grabbed some of his favorite spices to take to Kek’s. 

Yuugi let out a soft snort. “You sure you’re not moving in?”

“I’m not,” Atem assured. The weight of the bag made his used muscles ache more. He was going to feel this during the walk. “I just wanted to surprise Kek with some of the spices.” He heard Yuugi snort from behind him. “What?”

“You’re adorable. Enough so that now I know I have a mouthful of cavities.” 

“No. If you have any, it’s from your relationship with Anzu.” He offered a smile when he heard Yuugi let out a loud laugh. “Take care and don’t let Gramps overwork himself. I’ll be back to work after Kek’s siblings leave.”

Yuugi arched a brow. “After they leave?” he questioned.

The tone of Yuugi’s voice made Atem pause. “Yeah?”

Yuugi was silent for a moment. Much too young for Atem’s comfort. “I see. Well, you won’t be on the same busy schedule that you’d put yourself on. That way you don’t go back to ignoring your boyfriend. Share the hours.” 

Atem watched his partner. An odd feeling filled him. It felt like Yuugi was hiding something from him. It was odd since he hadn’t gotten the feeling until just now.

“Go. You’ll keep your beau waiting.”

“I…” He felt like he needed to say something but the words didn’t come to him.

Yuugi shooed him off.

“See you later,” he said. Atem left the Game Shop, while he was concerned about what Yuugi was possibly hiding, he was eager to see Kek again even though barely any time had passed since he was last there. The walk took forever and no time simultaneously. He unlocked the front door. “Kek, I’m back.” He’d wanted to say that he was home, but it was way too soon for that.

“In the living room,” came Kek’s nervous tone. 

Atem blinked at the sound of Kek’s voice “Kek?” He set his bag down and rounded the corner. He saw Kek sitting on the arm of the chair, chewing on his thumbnail. “Everything okay?”

“Yes. I just, uhhh, bought you something.” He motioned to the coffee table where a couple cookbooks sat along with a cookware set. Atem felt dumbfounded and startled. “Surprise?” Kek offered with a weak chuckle. “I-I saw the stuff and thought that you’d enjoy them, but after I brought everything home, I felt a bit silly because you probably had most, if not all of this…”

Atem moved without thinking. He didn’t even notice crossing the distance between them. He cradled either side of Kek’s face and drew Kek’s bottom lip into his mouth. The kiss between them was sloppy and passionate.

Kek circled his legs around Atem’s hips and slid from the arm of the couch. They dropped onto the couch, still kissing. His arms draped over Atem’s shoulders.

Atem held his weight on one arm as he slipped a hand underneath Kek’s shirt, caressing his abs. He broke the kiss to press his lips to the tip of Kek’s nose then between his eyes. “I love it. Thank you, Kek,” he whispered, looking into Kek’s eyes. He could see so many emotions swirling within Kek’s eyes. He smiled softly and lightly nipped Kek’s chin.

Kek squeaked softly, his cheeks darkening.

Even though Atem would feel the tension between them building, readying to crest, he moved off of Kek. “I brought some ingredients to make you something special to eat.”

Kek giggled softly, shifting so he could lay on his side. “We’re a mess, aren’t we? Surprising each other like this.”

“We’re just making things work our way. Seducing each other in the only ways we know how,” he teased.

Kek lightly pushed at Atem, grinning. “What’d you bring?”

“Food.”

“Well of course. If it wasn’t food, I would be questioning why you wanted me to eat it.” 

Atem laughed as his mind went straight into the gutter. 

“Oh my Ra,” Kek murmured, figuring it out. “What kind of food is it?”

Atem grinned and grabbed his bag. 

“Am I going to need to clear out a dresser drawer?” Kek asked when he saw the bag.

“Don’t worry, most of the contents are for the kitchen,” Atem said. “Ready to see the food I picked out for you?” He pulled out the spices from the bag first.

“You can’t eat spices, Temmy,” Kek said with a laugh.

The nickname was a bit bizarre for Atem to hear. Hearing Kek call him ‘starfish’ seemed far more normal than ‘Temmy’. “Well, you can actually.”

Kek rolled his eyes. “You know what I meant.”

Atem set out the ingredients. “Since I wasn’t sure exactly what kind of meat you did eat, I played it safe with tofu.”

“Mostly fish based. No crab, shrimp or lobster - I don’t like how they’re cooked usually.”

Atem understood. He wouldn’t ever be able to cook any of those. “When we go shopping later on, I’ll be sure to pick up some fish - maybe salmon.”

Shy amusement filled Kek’s features, but he didn’t say anything. He just allowed himself to bask in the warm domestic feeling his home suddenly had with Atem there.

###  ⚣♥⚣

Atem reclined comfortably against Kek's chest. It was quickly becoming one of his favorite places to relax. "What are we going to watch?" he asked.

Kek shrugged, grabbing the remote. "Whatever catches our attention I suppose." He turned on the television and began scrolling through the movies saved.

"Not Schinlder's List?"

"No."

"Why not?" Atem asked, tilting his head back so he could look up at Kek in confusion. 

"Because I'd rented that one. I'll pick up a copy when I visit the library again, but only when I know that we both are in a good headspace for it. Or I’ll purchase a physical copy. Whichever works."

Atem turned so he could lay his chin on Kek's chest. He watched Kek, savoring the fact that Kek wanted to look after the both of them. He opened his mouth to thank Kek, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words he wanted. "The library? You go to the library?"

"Of course. I can check out books that I find interesting and if I enjoyed it enough, I will buy it. I can check out movies as well, though I do that only on a rare occasion."

"How do you decide on what movies to get?"

Kek cradled Atem's hip. "I watch it when it's available for free on one of the channels I'm subscribed to. If I like it, I buy it only then. Usually on digital. It saves space for Khepri."

Atem smiled. He took the remote and faced the television. "Maybe next movie night," he said, scrolling through the movies curiously. He stopped on one that he remembered seeing Yuugi talk about to Jonouchi once. “Isn’t this the movie where a lady fucked a fish guy?”

Kek blinked. “Uhh, well, yes. But it’s more than just that,” he said.

“What more is there to it? As I’ve heard, it’s about monster fucking.” He shifted to face Kek. He wanted to tell Kek that he was seriously judging him, but paused at the look on his face. There was a shy, tenderness to his features that was marred ever so slightly with sorrow.

“Well, I saw it more as a romance. A story that shows that one can find love no matter their flaws, imperfections and how they look. That in the end, a  _ monster  _ could have happiness and love, too”

Atem hadn’t expected what sounded like a hopeless romantic response from Kek. He watched Kek a bit more and wondered if that was how Kek saw himself. As a monster? He hummed softly and turned away. “It’s one of your favorites?”

Kek didn’t speak, but Atem felt him tense.

“I won’t judge you if it is,” he said, feeling a bit guilty for judging him before.

A soft sigh escaped Kek as he relaxed. “It is…”

“Then we’ll watch it.”

“Don’t watch it on my account, Atem.”

“I want to watch it. Not because it’s your favorite, but because  _ I’m _ curious about it.”

“There’s nudity involved.”

Atem snorted. “Like that’ll bother me.” He lifted the remote and paused before selecting it. “Hey, Kek?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I take a picture of us and post it on my social?” He tilted his head back. “I just…” He felt embarrassed for wanting to remember the moment he actually watched this movie, for wanting to share it with everyone.

Kek looped his arms around Atem’s torso and laid his head against Atem’s. While he didn’t tense up, he didn’t respond either.

Atem shook his head. “Sorry. It was a stupid question. Forget I even said anything.”

“No. No. It’s all right. It’ll just give everyone a bit of a shock. Are you prepared for a potential backlash?”

“I won’t care what they have to say,” Atem said softly, surprised that his words held honesty. 

Kek turned his head so they could face one another. Their noses brushed. “If they turn on you because it’s me-”

“Then obviously they need to speak to Anzu again about friendship and take remedial lessons,” Atem said with a chuckle. 

That triggered a laugh in Kek. “And they say I’m cruel.”

“I can be cruel when I want to be. I’m not exactly an angel after all.” 

Kek plucked a kiss from Atem’s lips. The movement was delicate, making Atem feel like a flower being removed from the earth with care. His heart swelled in his chest. “Go on and get a picture,” Kek whispered against his lips.

Atem flushed, but smiled to himself. He fished his cellphone from his pocket and held it up. He leaned close to Kek until their heads were pressed close together and snapped a couple pictures of them. 

Once he was satisfied, he uploaded his favorite one to his profile with the caption ' _ movie night with my beau _ ’. It was cheesy, he knew that, but Atem felt as if air had replaced every atom in his body, that if Kek hadn’t been holding him, he’d merely float away.

With the post made, he silenced his phone and tossed it to the side. He pressed start on the movie and snuggled closer to Kek. It wasn’t long into the film that the first bit of nudity appeared. “Okay, I wasn’t expecting that so soon.”

Kek chuckled softly. “I warned you,” he whispered in Atem’s ear.

Atem felt his face warm. He lightly elbowed him. “Shh… I’m trying to watch,” he hissed softly, trying to hide his embarrassment. It wasn’t the nudity or the fact there was masturbation on screen that embarrassed him. It was simply the fact that he was watching that while in Kek’s arms.

The movie enraptured his attention, though. He was drawn into the story and the characters. At a particular scene further into the movie, Kek suddenly tensed, pulling Atem from the relaxed trance he was in. 

“Where’s the volume clicker?” Kek was feeling around the couch.

“The remote?”

“That’s what I said.”

Atem picked it up and handed it over. “Here. Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” Kek muted the television and covered Atem’s eyes. “It’s just a scene that might bother you.”

Atem shuddered.

“I always mute the scene…” Kek admitted. “I won’t chance that it might upset me or Khepri. And I don’t want you to get upset by it either.”

“Thank you, Kek,” Atem whispered.

After a moment, Kek unmuted the movie and removed his hand from Atem’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what it was that Kek hadn’t wanted him to see, but he was going to trust Kek. Others would call him foolish, but he didn’t care.

He shifted so he could lay his ear over Kek’s heart, but still be able to watch the movie. The new position was comfortable, even with Kek’s long legs framing his waist. During the rest of the movie, Kek didn’t try to shield him from any other scenes. A couple moments made Atem feel a bit squeamish, but that was more because they reminded him of some of the sadism he’d inflicted on others when he was first released from the sennen puzzle.

Once the movie was over, Kek stretched his arms out with a soft groan. 

“That was an enjoyable movie, the exophilia aside,” Atem teased.

Kek chuckled. “I don’t know, I thought that was the best part,” he joked.

Atem laughed. “Really? I quite enjoyed the-” He couldn’t even come up with anything that would be believable. He could have said that he enjoyed the violent moments, but the scenes were a bit too graphic for him. He felt the familiar desire to dish out penalty games and that made him a bit unnerved. Even though he’d felt that, he did love the movie. “Okay, their relationship was adorable.”

Kek grinned.

“Feeling hungry?” Atem asked, looking up at Kek. He watched Kek reach onto the back of the couch to love on Khepri who was curled up, asleep.

Khepri stretched out a paw, making a soft sound before drawing his paw back to his body.

Atem smiled softly, watching Kek with the feline. It was a precious sight. If he didn’t fear the potential spam of notifications on his phone, he would have snagged a picture of them. It would have been for himself to hoard, but he decided he was going to wait.

“Yeah…” Kek murmured after a bit. 

Atem gently brushed Kek’s bangs from his eyes. “I’ll go finish up dinner, then.” He stood and walked to the kitchen. He smiled at the cooking set Kek had given him.

Kek chewed on his bottom lip, listening to Atem bustle around the kitchen. It felt peaceful and domestic. He enjoyed how natural everything felt, and a part of him feared losing this. His mind told him to stop getting so close, to pull away so he wouldn't get burned when this illusion between them inevitably crashed around him.

He sat up and watched Atem as he prepared the food. "I feel spoiled," he said.

Atem hummed. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No. It's just…" Kek sighed softly. He climbed off the couch and walked into the kitchen. He circled his arms around Atem and laid his chin on Atem's shoulder, watching the once pharaoh cook. 

Atem tilted his head. "If you want, later you can cook for me."

Kek chuckled. "You want food poisoning, don't you?"

"Well, if you haven't gotten sick from your cooking then I have a fighting chance at surviving."

"I built up a tolerance," he said. He smiled. "Once the food is ready, let's eat on the porch." He tightened his hold on Atem. "I know, it's cold…"

“It won’t bother your scars?” he asked.

Kek felt warmth flare up inside of his chest at Atem’s concern. He doubted that he’d even feel the chill with how warm and happy he felt. “I’ll be fine.”

"Just make sure to bring out a blanket for us so we don’t catch death," Atem said.

Kek smiled. “Like death could keep us down.” He placed a soft kiss on Atem’s cheek then released him. He sat on the counter. “It smells really good,” he said. Before Atem, the last time he had a true home cooked meal - his own cooking aside - was back when he’d briefly stayed with Marik, Ryou and Bakura. Ryou had always made some of the best food. It’d been a nice time, but at the same time, Kek felt suffocated and closed in. He hated living with them.

He hated how even in a large house, he’d had little privacy. Marik had always fretted over what he was doing, where he was going and nagged about him not hanging out with them more. It’d been too much that Kek finally just packed what little he had and moved out. Without them hovering around, Kek had really been able to get to know himself.

“Was it difficult to learn to cook?” he asked.

“Yes. It was a lot of trial and error. It didn’t come naturally to me like I thought it would,” Atem said. He grabbed plates for them and divided up the Alfredo dish. “Ready?”

Kek hopped from the counter and grabbed a blanket for them to curl up in while they ate. The temperature had dropped lower than it was earlier. He almost regretted wanting to come out here, but he looked to the sky and saw the stars twinkling overhead. “The sky isn’t quite as decorated as it was in Egypt, but there are still so many beautiful stars.” 

“You know, back then, I always took the night sky for granted…” Atem said softly as he made himself comfortable. 

Kek sat down beside him, spreading the blanket over their legs. He accepted his plate. “When Marik, and by extension me, first came to the surface, we’d spent the first night just staring up at the sky…” He smiled to himself. “I could taste his emotions; the wonder, the amazement. It was some of the first positive emotions I’d received from him, even if he never realized it.” He’d been close to the surface of Marik’s mind that first night, though there still had been a distance, a blurred haze that prevented Kek from truly experiencing the moment of seeing the night sky to its fullest. He felt Atem lean to his side. “We hadn’t told Rishid that we were going to be on the roof. We’d worried him so badly that I’d wanted to apologize. Marik had said the words for me…” He chuckled to himself. “That was possibly the first time I had my own separate desire, one that I had Marik play out for me.”

“You miss it sometimes, don’t you?”

Kek glanced over. “Miss what?”

“Being part of Marik.”

“Yes… and no. Sometimes I miss when we were the same consciousness, and sometimes I feel like we never truly were.” He shook his head. “It’s all so confusing.”

“Maybe you two never were the same person,” Atem offered.

Kek’s stomach twisted at the thought. “And that’s a rabbit hole that I’m not ready to venture down.” He took a bite of his food and moaned softly. “This is good.” 

“I’m glad to hear it. This is one of my favorite meals to prepare.”

Kek felt touched that Atem decided to share that with him. “Fuck, you really do spoil me,” he whispered.

Atem chuckled. “I try.” 

They continued their dinner, watching the stars and talking about whatever topic that came to mind. Once they were finished, Kek laid his head on Atem’s lap. “Are you going to stay the night?” he asked softly. 

“I’d been hoping,” he said. “Just in case, I’d let Yuugi know that I was staying while I was in the kitchen.”

Kek’s nose wrinkled with amusement. “Rather presumptuous of you.” He reached up and lightly touched Atem’s cheek. “I’m glad…” he whispered.

“That I told Yuugi?”

“No. That you’d agreed to this. All of this.” He knew that he wasn’t easy to deal with at times, though the past few days were honestly better than many days prior. 

Atem bowed his head, pressing their lips together tenderly. 

Kek liked these kinds of kisses. They made him feel cherished. When Atem pulled back, Kek released a soft giggle. 

###  ⚣♥⚣

Atem was stunned by the ending of the book. It was bittersweet and he felt emotional over it. He brought a hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to keep his emotions under control.

He hadn’t expected to grow so invested in the characters or the story. 

“Atem?” Kek questioned softly.

“I’m fine,” he said, his voice cracking faintly.

“I cried when I first read it, too,” he said. He pulled Atem into his arms and kissed the top of his head.

Atem looked down at the book. “I don’t know what I’d expected. Maybe I expected something like us,” he said softly. “Am I wrong to feel that way?”

“Not at all. I felt the same way, but after I thought about it, it made sense. The ending fits the story perfectly.” 

“I want to read it from beginning to end,” Atem said. Even though it made him emotional, Atem fell in love with the characters despite knowing only a small amount about them.

Kek smiled. “Maybe I could read it to you this time around.” He made himself comfortable in bed and drew Atem close.

“I’d like that, Kek,” he said softly. Even though they’d just finished the book, he decided that they could wait to read  _ Dragon Speaker _ another time.

###  ⚣♥⚣

Atem stirred. The room was dark and his arms were empty. He grunted softly and sat up. “Kek?” he questioned. He felt the bed blindly, but didn’t find Kek’s body near him. Yawning, he flicked on the lamp. The light stung his eyes.

He climbed from the bed and went looking for Kek, wondering if he might have been having trouble sleeping. His ears caught the soft sound of music coming from the bathroom. He knocked on the door. “Kek?”

He opened the door and spotted Kek relaxing in the tub, bubbles were at the rim of the tub and spilling over the side. On his face was a facial mask.

Kek looked up from the book he had perched on a stand to keep it from falling into the water. “Hey. Did I wake you?” he asked. 

Atem shook his head. “No.” He leaned against the door frame, smiling. “Do this often?”

Kek hummed. He carefully set the stand on the floor and nudged it further from the tub. “I do. It’s a routine. Wake up at three and take a nice long bath.” He motioned Atem over. “Come join,” he said.

“I don’t know,” Atem said awkwardly. He’d never bathed with someone before, and their relationship was still uncertain. 

“I won’t bite, don’t worry.”

“I wouldn’t have minded if you did,” Atem muttered.

Kek laughed and flicked some bubbles in Atem’s direction. “See? Now you’ve made things awkward,” he teased.

Atem flushed. He debated with himself before stepping closer.

“Could you grab the container from the counter? With the brush.” 

Atem glanced over, seeing what he was talking about. It was a clay mask with lavender. He picked it up and couldn’t help but to steal a sniff of it. He sat on the edge of the tub as Kek straightened himself up. 

Kek took the brush and moved Atem’s bangs from his face.

Atem suspected what Kek was going to do and helped hold his bangs from his face. Sure enough, he felt a chill as Kek ran the brush down his cheek. It felt weird to have something heavy on his face.

He chuckled softly. “I feel like I’m suddenly at a girl’s sleepover,” he said. 

“Just because we’re guys doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy some of the same pampering,” Kek said without pause. 

Atem smiled. “This is true.” He waited until Kek finished applying a layer of the mask on his face before dropping his bangs. It felt almost slimy at first. His nose scrunched up.

“It’ll dry. Don’t worry. Now climb in. There’s plenty of room.”

Atem glanced at the tub. The bath looked tempting. The bubbles smelled of more lavender. He began to unbutton his shirt.

Kek’s cheeks heated as he watched Atem release the buttons of his shirt and then toss it to the side. Jokingly, he lifted his hands to his own face, making sure not to disturbed his own mask, though he peered through his fingers to watch Atem shed his pants.

Nothing but Atem’s bare flesh was beneath them. 

His blood traveled south as he couldn’t help but to drink in the sight. Atem, despite being mortal, still resembled a god. He wanted to reach out and run his fingers over Atem’s skin, to feel the heat. 

Kek closed his eyes, listening to Atem disturb the water and how some water spilled over the sides of the tub.

"Sorry about the mess," Atem said.

"It's all good. It can be mopped up later," Kek said. He listened to Atem settling down completely in the tub.

A soft sigh left Atem. “This is amazing,” he said. Damp hands touched Kek’s wrists and guided them back into the water. “It’s safe to look now.”

Kek glanced up, seeing how close Atem was. He swallowed. This hadn’t been one of his better ideas. He didn’t want to play with fire, but he’d brought the sun out. Kek reached out and lightly ran his fingers against Atem’s collarbone then over his adam’s apple, feeling it bounce beneath his touch. 

“I must be crazy,” Kek whispered.

“That’s the charm with you,” Atem replied. 

Kek chuckled and leaned over, bringing their lips together. He didn’t want to play with fire. He wanted to immerse himself in it like he had when he’d merged with Ra.

Atem clutched his bicep, his nails digging in.

He felt Atem’s tongue prodded at the seam of his lips and Kek didn’t hesitate to open for him this time. Instead of wanting to shy away like he had the first time, he wanted to accept all Atem had to offer. The heat, the desire, pain, pleasure. The distance between them felt too great for him. He needed more. Kek climbed onto Atem’s lap. Skin pressed to skin. Both of them were slick with bubbles and water. “Is this all right?” he asked softly, lightly brushing his nose against Atem’s.

“Yes.” Atem sounded breathless.

Kek smiled softly and brought their lips together again, needing to feel Atem’s tongue brushing against his. He moaned softly the moment he got what he wanted. He breathed through his nose so he didn’t have to pull away for air before he was ready. 

Atem cradled his biceps, gently pulling them even closer. How much closer could they possibly get?

Kek wanted to whisper the words  _ I love you _ across Atem’s flesh, against his mouth, but Kek feared admitting it out loud. He wasn’t ready yet, but one day he hoped he would be.

The longer they kissed, the more heat and desire coalesced inside of Kek. Blood pooled low. Their erections brushed slightly against one another, sending jolts of electricity through them.

Kek wanted to know what it was like to let go, to lose himself to Atem, to the pleasure, to his own feelings. He craved giving in and right then, he wasn’t afraid. Not of his emotions, not of himself, not of the unknown possibilities of the future. 

He wanted to rub against Atem, to feel his hands on his body, kneading and caressing his flesh. Atem’s fingers flexed around his arms, as if he was fighting the urge to make Kek’s desires come true. 

Kek pulled back from the kiss. “It’s okay,” he whispered against Atem’s lips. He guided Atem’s hands away from his arms and brought them to his chest. The initial touch made Kek’s nipples grow pert. He leaned to the touch, wanting so much but had no idea where to start.

Atem watched him, a small smirk on his lips. “Go on.”

Kek swallowed and rubbed himself against Atem’s palms, moaning softly. It wasn’t enough, but it was a start in the right direction to get what he craved. “Atem, please,” he whispered. “Touch me.” 

Atem moved his hands from Kek’s chest.

A whine dropped off of Kek’s lips. “The fuck?”

“Shh, I’ll grant your wish,” he purred. He wrapped an arm around Kek’s waist and pulled their bodies as close as they could get. How could there still have been so much space between them, Kek wondered. Atem ran his fingers through Kek’s hair. Their lips collided together. Desperate, hungry. Atem’s hips rolled up as Kek dropped his hips down. Their cocks rubbed together, a teasing, delectable amount of friction. 

It wasn’t enough, though. They both craved more. More touch. More friction. Not even the kisses were enough. “Atem,” Kek moaned against the ex-ruler’s lips. He trailed his lips along Atem’s jaw and down his neck, ignoring the traces of the face mask he’d applied to Atem’s face mere moments earlier. His teeth lightly scraped over Atem’s pulse.

Atem grunted and exposed his neck more for Kek. He kept an arm wrapped around Kek as his fingers traced down Kek’s chest and abs.

Kek released Atem’s neck with a squeal. “That tickles, Atem,” he whispered.

“Is that so?” Atem dragged his lips over Kek’s before tugging on Kek’s bottom lip. His fingers slid down Kek’s length. He fingers wrapped around their cocks and gave a teasing stroke.

Kek’s eyes widened in surprise. He closed his eyes with a soft whimper. Pleasure shocked his nerves. He lightly bit the side of Atem’s neck, applying suction. The thought of leaving a passionate mark that would heal and fade sent thrills coursing through Kek.

The moan rumbling from Atem encouraged Kek to leave another. His hips rolled to the steady rhythm Atem set.

His hands trailed over Atem’s chest, allowing his fingers to lightly tease Atem’s nipples. 

“Kek,” Atem gasped, his thumb ghosting over their cockheads.

Kek smirked against Atem’s neck. He sensed the silent offer. Maybe it was a challenge. Maybe he was sensing something not even there. He flicked the pads of his thumbs over Atem’s nipples. At the sound of Atem’s breathing moan and roll of his hips, Kek tried pinching and twisting the pert buds. 

Atem’s strokes sped up. Every now and again, he shifted his hand to palm the top of their cocks. Whenever Kek tested a new gesture, Atem seemed to mirror the experimentation. 

Kek moved a hand away from Atem’s chest to bury his fingers into Atem’s thick hair. He gripped the roots and tugged, tilting Atem’s head back. His lips moved to the front of Atem’s throat, nipping and sucking on the exposed flesh.

His senses were in overdrive. Every pump of Atem’s hand sent ecstasy reverberating his being. It felt like Kek had absorbed the sun and it was spreading throughout his body. Every fiber of his being felt like it was burning. So pleasurable. So intense. He craved it. He relished the feeling.

He felt Atem’s free hand glide up his back, leaving trails of soapy water on the scars. His back arched to the tender touch. “Phar-”

“Shh,” Atem breathed. “I’m not the pharaoh anymore.” Atem’s hand stilled. He reached up and cupped Kek’s cheek.

Kek shuddered at the loss of stimulation. “Atem,” he whispered. He didn’t want Atem to stop touching. He was close. So painfully close.

“Very good, Kek. Don’t call me pharaoh when we’re like this together.” A smile curved Atem’s lips and he plucked a brief kiss from Kek’s mouth.

Kek pouted, leaning back to look at Atem. He wanted to question Atem. He wanted to beg for more touch.

Atem nipped Kek’s bottom lip, pulling it into his mouth.

Kek moaned softly, submersing himself in the kiss. Their tongues curled together.

Atem’s hand slowly tracked its way down Kek’s body once more, building the anticipation. It wasn’t long before he found their dicks once more. He flicked his wrist slowly before resuming the previous pace. 

Kek dropped a hand between them, layering it over Atem’s. The pleasure built inside of him. It coiled and grew taut.

Atem pulled from the kiss and bit lightly at Kek’s ear. “Come for me,” he whispered.

Kek whimpered softly, a shudder tearing down his back. He didn’t want the heat to end yet. 

Atem moved Kek’s hand away and gripped Kek’s erection only, stroking the length.

Kek rocked his hips in sync with each jerk of Atem’s wrist. He held Atem’s shoulders as a brace. 

Atem leaned forward, his tongue flicking against Kek’s nipples.

Kek head rolled back against his shoulders. Soft moans and whispers of Atem’s name fell from his lips. The pleasure peaked and crested over, washing through his being. His nails dug into Atem’s shoulders and his moans heightened in volume. He didn’t even attempt to censor himself. 

Once his release ebbed away, Kek moved off of Atem’s lap and lifted him up onto the rim of the tub.

Atem slipped, nearly sliding over the side. “Shit,” he gasped, gripping the tub.

Kek gave a small grin. “Sorry.” He cradled Atem’s hips and stole a quick kiss. 

“It’s all good,” Atem murmured.

Kek chuckled at the confusion playing on Atem’s face. “At least we’re not on a table,” he said.

“What? You don’t want to experience a crash landing?” Atem teased.

“Maybe one day with a different kind of wood,” he purred, silently chuckling at his little joke. He moved down to Atem’s chest, taking one of Atem’s nipples into his mouth.

Atem gasped, his fingers digging into the tub.

Kek rolled his tongue against the pert bud and sucked before giving the other the same treatment. 

Atem made a low, hissing sound as he arched his spine to push his chest closer to Kek. 

Kek would be lying if he said that he didn’t enjoy lavishing such attention on Atem. He wondered what it would be like to go further, to explore the various touches. It would be for another day, though. He released Atem’s chest once he was certain he had abused Atem’s nipples thoroughly. He kissed his way down Atem’s stomach until Atem’s knees framed Kek’s shoulders. 

Atem’s breathing was deep and harsh. His cock sat erect in front of Kek’s face. Pre-cum pearled at the tip.

Kek leaned forward, swiping his tongue over the head. The taste was different, but he found himself craving more. 

“Fuck,” Atem gasped.

Kek released one of Atem’s hips so he could grip the base of Atem’s dick. His tongue swirled around the tip before wrapping his lips around Atem’s cockhead. This was new territory for Kek. He’d never thought he would actually suck on someone’s cock, much less Atem’s. The experience, he found to be rather enjoyable.

He relaxed his throat as he took in more of Atem’s cock. He stroked the section that he didn’t take in. Saliva coated Atem’s dick as Kek bobbed his head. The sensation of Atem’s cock sliding against his tongue thrilled Kek. The sound of his name and harsh curses falling off of Atem’s lips encouraged Kek to continue and take a bit more down his throat with each pass. He hummed softly, adding to the sensations that Atem felt.

Atem draped a leg over Kek’s shoulder, repeating Kek’s name over and over. He pulled a hand away from the tub and buried his fingers into Kek’s hair. To be certain that Atem didn’t fall, Kek adjusted his hold on Atem to brace him.

Kek could tell that Atem was close. He took Atem’s entire length down his throat and gently massaged his sac. 

“K-Kek,” Atem gasped, the only warning Kek got before Atem’s let out a sharp yell as his own orgasm filled him.

Kek greedily swallowed Atem’s cum, making sure to get every last drop before releasing Atem. He glanced up at Atem, feeling pleased with how disheveled he looked. He moved back up so he was eye level with Atem, steadying the other. Their noses brushed.

“I love you,” Atem whispered, cradling Kek’s face and kissing him softly. 

Kek chuckled. “We made a mess of our masks,” he said, still unable to voice his own feelings.

Atem reached up and touched his face, smearing the ruining facial mask. “Shit. I forgot it was even on.”

At that, Kek outright laughed. He stood and climbed out of the tub. “Come on. Let’s go rinse it off at the sink.”

Atem winced when he looked down at the floor. “Sorry about all the water.”

“Again, it mops up. I’m not worried.”

“You take things in stride. It’s rather impressive.”

“I’ve always been impressive,” Kek said with a grin. He helped Atem out of the tub. “Careful. Let’s not slip and fall.” He drained the tub and went to the sink. They began washing the mask from their faces.

“Where’d you learn to deep throat like that?” Atem asked.

Kek’s cheeks warmed. “I… read a lot of erotica.”

Atem lifted his head, looking at Kek in the mirror. “You… what?”

“It is valid research material.”

“Funny. I’ve always figured you’d be a visual learner.” Atem bumped the side of his naked hip against Kek’s.

Kek stuck his tongue out at Atem. “I am. I can visualize everything quite perfectly. I’m so sorry that you lack that ability.” He winked with a teasing grin.

“Oh, you shit.” Atem gave a laugh and smacked Kek’s rear.

Kek gasped. The heat on his face grew. “Atem,” he began. He turned to look at the once ruler.

Atem chewed his bottom lip, meeting Kek’s gaze. “Should I not have done that?”

“You’re so lucky that we have to visit my family in the morning or else we wouldn’t be leaving that bed of ours.”

“I kind of like the sound of that threat,” Atem whispered.

Kek lightly brushed some of Atem’s blond bangs from his face and pressed their wet foreheads together. He hadn’t expected to enjoy the feeling of being spanked, but he made note of it to try later on when they weren’t expected to get up early to socialize. “We better dry off and head to bed…” He didn’t want to break contact, but it was late and he was tired.

“I’ll get the towels.” Atem stepped away, causing Kek to whine softly. He shook his head and gathered a few towels for them to use.

Kek went over to the radio and shut it off, filling the bathroom with silence. “You can put a towel on the floor to absorb the water.”

Atem set one towel on the floor and returned to Kek’s side, offering one of the remaining ones in his hand. 

“Thanks.” Kek dried himself off as Atem did the same. Once dry, they set the towels on the counter to be dealt with later.

Atem threaded his fingers with Kek’s and led him from the bathroom.

Kek paused long enough to shut off the lights and close the door so Khepri didn’t try to yank the towels down and use them as a bed. It wasn’t the first time it happened. He chuckled softly when he saw Khepri stretched out across the pillows, laying on his back with his legs extended outwards.

Atem picked up a phone from the end table and quickly took a picture before the cat stirred. Once the picture was taken, Kek carefully scooped Khepri up. The cat gave a meow of displeasure but remained stretched out. Kek kissed the cat’s stomach before placing him at the foot of the bed.

Khepri curled up, turning his back to them.

“I think we’re in trouble with him,” Atem said. He picked up the lotion bottle.

“Nah. Just me. But that’s normal.” Kek glanced at the lotion curiously.

Atem smiled and applied a layer of lotion to Kek’s back. “Just so that your skin doesn’t become tight and uncomfortable while you’re sleeping,” he said.

Kek smiled, his heart thudding in his chest. He really didn’t want their new relationship to end after he visited with his family. He liked seeing this side of Atem. The more…  _ human _ side of Atem that he wouldn’t have seen back in his time as pharaoh. 

They didn’t bother getting dressed before climbing beneath the blankets. They didn’t care that they were even naked and sharing the same bed. It felt natural. They curled up together, feeling sated and relaxed, stealing a few brief kisses before allowing themselves to drift back to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

The sound of a cello playing woke Atem. He yawned and lifted his face from the pillow. Soft morning light seeping through the blinds. It was still early. He looked to his side, but saw that Kek wasn’t there. For a moment, he wasn’t sure what to think at first. Why wouldn’t Kek still be in bed with him? 

He looked toward the nightstand, checking for a clock but didn’t see one. Nor did he see the phones. Suppressing a second yawn, he climbed from the bed and pulled on a pair of boxers from his duffel bag. He followed the music and found Kek playing the cello in the dining room. Sitting in front of him was Khepri, his tail swaying to the music.

Atem felt foolish that he didn’t even consider that the music was Kek. He smiled to himself and sat on the arm of the couch, watching the blond sway to the song of the cello strings. Soft and warm. He felt like the music was wrapping him up within an embrace. His heart swelled. He felt himself falling in love with Kek all over again. 

He could hardly believe that in a handful of days his heart was stolen completely and absolutely by someone who was considered his enemy at one point. He wanted to stay here, wrapped up in the little world that he and Kek were building up for themselves. He wanted to pretend with Kek some more, and play at being a normal person by society’s definition.

The soft notes trailed away. “Morning,” Kek greeted.

Atem smiled and closed the distance between them. He greeted Kek with a soft kiss. “Morning. Sleep well?”

Kek’s cheeks dusted pink. “I did,” he said softly. “And you?”

“I could get used to sleeping next to you,” Atem said. He stepped away and put food down for Khepri. The cat bolted over with a happy mewl. He went into the pantry and snuck a few treats for Khepri while he was at it.

Khepri placed his paws on Atem’s hand, trying to bury his head into the treat container to steal a few more.

Atem moved the container away with a chuckle. “I put down four for you already. Don’t be greedy.” 

Khepri looked up at him with pitiful eyes and Atem put down a couple more, unable to resist the look.

Kek had trouble taking his eyes off of Atem as he bustled around the kitchen, feeding Khepri and then preparing food for them. He’d expected dozens of other kinds of responses after the night before, but he hadn’t expected Atem to just be at home with him. As much as it shamed Kek, he’d partly expected that once some of the sexual tension between them had been cleared, Atem would be ready to get the ruse over and done with so he could continue his regular life.

It felt… nice to have Atem there with him. He didn’t want this to end after the family gathering.

He put his cello away and stood. Nervousness nagged at him as he came up behind Atem. He circled his arms around him and laid his chin on Atem’s shoulder.

Atem pressed closer, making Kek smile softly. Having Atem there would be rather nice. He didn’t feel like he was being forced to change to suit the desires and mindset of others. He felt like he’d found his true normal. It might not be considered normal to others, but he liked this kind of normal.

“After we eat, shall we get ready?” Atem asked.

Kek wet his lips and slowly nodded. “It’ll be better to get it over with sooner rather than later.” He honestly still didn’t want to go, but if he didn’t, then he would have to lose this normal and be stuck with Marik and his lovers. His hold tightened around Atem.

“It’ll be okay, Kek. I’m going to be right there with you the entire time.”

“Thank you, Atem,” he said. “For all of this. I don’t think I would have been able to face them without you.”

Atem moved the pan to another burner and turned, facing Kek. He cradled Kek’s face gently. “I’ll always be there for you, even when you don’t need me to,” he said. “You’re much stronger than you give yourself credit.”

Kek shuddered. Hearing someone have such confidence in him was soothing. It put his mind at ease. He pressed his forehead to Atem’s. “I don’t regret any of this,” he said softly.

“The only thing I regret is that I waited so long to get to know the real you.” 

Kek suppressed a laugh. “You’re being cheesy again,” he teased.

“I don’t care. I’m being honest.” Atem cradled Kek’s lower back. He brought their lips together in a short, slow kiss. Instantly, Kek felt completely full of light and warmth.

Kek lightly touched the dark hickies that decorated Atem’s neck. He felt rather proud of them.

Atem shuddered at the touch and exposed his neck more to Kek.

Encouraged, Kek lightly kissed a couple of the marks. “They look good on you, but maybe we should find something to help cover them up so there aren’t any questions.”

“No. Let them ask questions. I rather like having them showing.”

Kek suppressed a soft giggle as Atem returned to finishing the food. He stepped away, watching Atem work as if he owned the kitchen. Had someone told Kek back in Battle City that Atem would be in his kitchen, cooking food like a regular person, Kek would have laughed in their faces as he dealt out their fate with the sennen rod.

Kek shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts. He couldn’t afford to let such darkness enter his mindset again. He was more than that. He was more than the alter ego he’d once been. And he was going to prove it to the others.

###  ⚣♥⚣

Kek all but bolted off of the bus once they pulled up at the stop. He released several slow, deep breaths, his hands on his knees. He felt Atem’s hand on his back. “Man, I forgot how much I hated riding in those metal death traps,” he muttered. He hated all kinds of vehicles. Cars, trains and buses - if they were made of metal, enclosed and moving then he hated them.

Atem kissed his forehead. “When it’s time to go back home, maybe we should walk so you won’t have to go through that again.”

As much as Kek wanted that, he knew that it wouldn’t be a good idea. The walk would be too far, it would likely be too dark by the time this was over - if he didn’t storm out - and it was too cold out. The last thing Kek wanted was for Atem to get sick because he couldn’t handle a bus ride. He took Atem’s hand and gently massaged it, feeling guilty for nearly crushing it moments earlier. “Sorry about that.”

“I’ve felt worse,” Atem said. 

“Like Ra’s flame slamming into your back during a shadow game?” Kek asked dryly. Surely nothing worse than that could have happened.

Atem reached up and cupped Kek’s face. The glove was a bit rougher against his cheek. He missed feeling Atem’s skin against his. “I’ve felt worse than that, Kek.”

Kek tried looking away, still feeling guilty but Atem wouldn’t let him.

“Don’t think that I’m pure of any wrongdoing, Kek. I’ve done my own fair-share of shadow games. I’ve punished people in outrageous and extreme ways for slights against others. You and I are no different at the core of everything.” 

“One of these days, you’ll have to tell me what all you’ve done,” Kek said, feeling almost eager to hear the stories.

“One of these days,” Atem agreed, threading their fingers together. “It’s a short walk to the hotel.”

Kek grimaced. He’d rather stay out in the cold than face his family. He released a breath, bracing himself. “Let’s go.”

The hotel itself was large and looming. Exactly the kind of place Marik would stay at during his time running the Ghouls. It reeked with expense and grandeur and Kek hated it. The doors opened for them and Kek couldn’t help lean closer to Atem to whisper, “Just like the good ol’ days, huh?”

Atem snorted and lightly elbowed him. “We’ve both grown since our god-like days.” 

Kek grinned widely as they went up to the front counter. Even though he’d been told which hotel to go to, he didn’t know which room he would need to go to. “Um, excuse me?”

The attendant behind the desk looked up from the computer. “Let me guess, you’re here to see Mister and Miss Ishtar.”

“Uhh…” Kek wasn’t sure how the woman knew. “Rishid and Isis,” he said slowly.

“Right. Your twin arrived not too long ago with his companions. He’d mentioned that I might see you.”

Kek glanced slowly at Atem, feeling unsure of what to say or think. He hadn’t expected that he’d see Marik today. And if Marik was here, then likely Ryou and Bakura were going to be present. This was starting to look like a very, very bad idea.

Atem cleared his throat. “The room number, please? We’d like to be on our way.”

The attendant nodded. “Right. Right. Room 314.”

“Thank you.” Atem took Kek’s hand and led him away. “Think you’ll be able to handle the elevator?” he asked.

“Only if you’ll kiss me the entire way up,” Kek said, unable to filter his thoughts. His cheeks blazed as Atem laughed.

Atem led him to the elevator. When the door opened, he guided Kek into the small metal cage and pressed the button for the desired floor. Before Kek could feel the anxiety sink in when the doors closed behind them, Atem pressed him against the bar rail, cradled one side of his face and brought their lips together.

Kek’s arms circled around Atem, his lips parting eagerly. He was quickly growing addicted to kissing Atem. He didn’t notice the elevator move, too focused on how Atem’s tongue moved with his. He didn’t feel the elevator stop before their floor or hear the doors open so someone wearing heels could walk in, his mind was too caught up in how right it felt being wrapped around Atem. 

“My, I didn’t quite believe the picture of the two of you together-” The familiar, husky voice forced the pair to snap to reality and break from one another. Standing in the elevator with them was none other than Mai Kujaku. “-but you can’t fake your tongues down each other’s throats or those marks on Atem’s neck.” 

Kek ducked his face to Atem’s untamable mane of hair.

“Mai,” Atem greeted. “It’s been a while.” 

“It has. I’m hurt. You didn’t let a gal know about your beau,” she said. “And instead you let me find out through social media. I thought we were closer than that.”

She sounded like she supported the two of them together. 

Atem circled his arms around Kek’s waist. “I’ve only recently let Yuugi know. We’d wanted to keep it private.”

Kek slowly lifted his head, but kept close to Atem. He saw Mai raise a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

“Good luck with keeping it completely private. After today, I doubt that anyone in our ragtag group will not know,” she said, glancing at her nails, but Kek could tell that she was watching them through her lashes. “That is if they didn’t already know through that movie night post.”

“I… guess we’re officially coming out,” Kek said, feeling awkward.

Mai flashed a smirk. “I’d say that’s rather obvious. Let’s go kiddos. This is our floor.” The doors opened and she calmly walked from the elevator. 

Atem kissed Kek briefly one last time. 

“That was not something I was expecting,” Kek mumbled. He was startled that Mai didn’t seem to begrudge him or hate him for what he’d done to her. He bit the inside of his cheek. “Hey, Mai..” He released Atem and went after her. “I…”

Mai turned to face him. “You… what?” she asked. Her arms crossed.

Kek winced. “I...I’m sorry.... For what I did to you in Battle City.”

Mai released a long, low breath. “Oh Sugarplum, I’ve long since forgave you.”

Kek looked up in confusion. 

“Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t forgive you at the time for you or because you deserved it. I forgave you for me. So you didn’t have that power over me anymore.” She offered a smile. “Thank you, though. I did hope to one day hear the words from you.”

Kek wanted to say something more, though no words came to him. Atem’s fingers slipped into his, causing him to glance over with a soft expression. 

“You two really are quite a sight together,” Mai said. “It’s rather adorable if you ask me, though.”

“I… thanks?” Kek wasn’t sure what to say. He glanced over at Mai. “I didn’t know that Marik would be here. At least… at the same time as us.”

“Oh, Mister Master Manipulator couldn’t handle a bit of manipulation,” Mai said, her eyes glinting with humor. “We’re here.” She knocked on the door.

Isis opened the door and enveloped Mai in an embrace. Their lips connected and Kek turned to leave. He had not expected to see his sister kissing anyone. He couldn’t handle it.

Atem circled his arm around him. “You’re not leaving, Kek.” 

Kek whined. “But-”

“Kek, you actually made it,” Isis said with a smile. “I’m glad.”

“I wasn’t given much of a choice,” Kek muttered to himself.

Isis glanced at Atem, watched him for a long moment before offering a slight bow. 

“Please, don’t. I’m just Atem.”

Isis looked like she was struggling with the concept. “Please, come in,” she said after a moment. She stepped back and let them into the hotel.

Mai was first to go into the hotel.

Kek glanced at Atem and they followed. The hotel door closed behind them. 

Isis gave Kek a hug. “It’s been a while, Kek,” she murmured.

Kek stiffly returned the hug. After a moment, he felt himself relaxing to it, finding himself craving the closeness and affection from his sister. It took him back to before he became Marik’s alter, when he was able to curl up in bed with her after a nightmare for comfort.

The embrace ended far too soon for Kek. She led him past the entryway and into the rest of the suite. 

Sitting on the couch was Rishid who had his phone in hand, texting someone. Off to the right was Marik and Ryou. 

They were setting up mugs of coffee in the small kitchenette. Bakura, however, was slumped against the counter wearing sunglasses over his eyes.

“Why are you wearing sunglasses inside?” Kek couldn’t stop himself from asking. “You’ll wreck your eyes.”

“Oh piss off.” Bakura lifted his head off the counter. “And why the fuck is His Royal-pain-in-the-ass here?” 

“I brought him,” Kek said.

Atem touched Kek’s bicep. “Water will help with the hangover, Bakura.”

Bakura opened his mouth to speak. 

“Kura, you’d promised you’d behave,” Ryou said.

“Yeah, for a rim job and a blow job. If I’m gonna have to deal with that prat, then I want a double pen while at it,” Bakura said.

“Greedy imp,” Marik said, laughter in his voice.

Kek wanted the floor to swallow him up. His gaze lifted up to the ceiling in mercy. He suddenly couldn’t handle being around his family for a whole new reason than why he avoided them before.

“You’ll get used to them,” Rishid said.

“I don’t think I want to anymore,” Kek said.

Mai laughed. 

Bakura clutched his head and groaned. “Mai, you’re not human. How are you not suffering?”

“Because I had enough sense to stay hydrated,” she said, setting down a bottle of water. “Atem’s right. Water, no coffee.”

“What happened?” Kek asked.

“Mai came over last night. She and Bakura got into a drinking competition.”

“Obviously Bakura lost,” Kek said.

“Fuck you Porcupine,” Bakura grumbled and began downing the water.

Kek claimed an armchair, putting some space between him and the rest of his family. 

Atem sat down on the arm of the chair.

“Want the seat, or…?” Kek felt a bit guilty for selecting such a small seat right then.

Atem kissed his forehead. “I’m quite content right here.” He ran his fingers through Kek’s hair.

It felt so natural, as if they weren’t playing pretend for his family. Kek leaned to the touch, releasing a soft sigh of contentment. 

“I certainly didn’t expect this kind of development,” Rishid said. “Can’t say that I’m against it, though.”

“I am,” Bakura said. “It’s the  _ pharaoh _ . And Kek is.... I hesitate to say that he’s like a brother, but he is family. It’s creepy.” 

Kek nearly laughed. He’d never heard Bakura sound so disgusted and concerned at the same time. At the same time, he felt a bit angry that Bakura was so adamant against Atem. He glanced at Ryou and Marik. 

Marik looked torn on the situation while Ryou was accepting. 

“I’m happy with him,” Kek said. “And he gets along with Khepri.”

Atem snorted. “Face it, Kek, Khepri is a bit of a slut once he accepts someone. It’s hard not to get along with him.”

“Khepri?” Marik asked hesitantly. “Who’s Khepri?”

“Oh, I have a second lover that I keep confined to my apartment,” Kek said dryly, rolling his eyes. He heard Atem snicker softly next to him. Horror flashed over the faces of everyone else in the room. He snorted. For a second, he considered letting them believe what they wanted. “He’s my cat.”

“A very floofy cat,” Atem said fondly. 

“You have a cat together? Holy fuck you two are serious,” Marik said.

“For the record, I owned Khepri well before dating Atem,” Kek said, suppressing a pout. 

“And if you two were to break up, Khepri would be sad to not have Atem around anymore,” Marik pointed out.

Kek did pout then. 

“Now, don’t make him upset, Marikk,” Isis said. “It’s rather sweet that they are getting along so well.”

“ _ Very _ well,” Atem said with a smile. The others didn’t seem to notice the glint in Atem’s eyes, but Kek noticed and his cheeks flushed deeply, remembering the night before in the bathroom. He wanted to experience that pleasure again. He wanted to feel more. He wanted to let go and let Atem’s sunlight and heat consume him. 

“Yeah, we can see the proof. I don’t want to know the details of that aspect” Marik said. 

“Are you kidding?” Ryou asked. “I’m wondering why it’s only Atem who is covered in hickies.”

“Because I didn’t want to mark him without knowing for absolute certainty that it was something he was comfortable with,” Atem said.

Kek’s heart fluttered at the words. 

“When did you guys start going out?” Rishid asked, setting his phone on his knee. He watched them with an inquisitive expression.

They hadn’t exactly discussed what their answers to such questions would be, and Kek didn’t truly want to lie to them. He could tell that the others were all curious, even though they were trying to hide it. He couldn’t do it. Now that he was in front of all of them, Kek found himself not wanting to lie to them. He didn’t want whatever he had with Atem to be brief and a lie.

“It was actually fairly recent,” Kek said softly. He leaned to Atem, laying his head against Atem’s shoulder. 

“I’m surprised,” Marik said. “With how you two are, I would have said longer.”

“I’d had feelings for him for a while, I just…” Atem shrugged. “It really clicked when I saw him playing the cello.” 

“You play the cello?” Marik’s brows rose up. “Are we sure this is really Kek?”

Atem looked at Kek, arching a brow. “You didn’t tell them?” he asked with amusement. 

The fact that Marik didn’t seem to believe that Kek would play the cello bothered him more than he thought it would. “No. I kept it to myself. You didn’t know until  _ you _ saw me,” Kek pointed out. “And you only ended up seeing me because you let yourself into my apartment.”

“So you would have kept it a secret from me?” Atem asked, smirking.

“For a little while…” Kek said honestly. “But I don’t regret you seeing.”

Atem kissed the bridge of his nose. “Good, because I rather like watching you play.”

Bakura made a gagging sound. “I’m gonna hurl. They’re sappy.”

Kek flicked him off. “One doesn’t have to be crude to show they care. It doesn’t work for everyone.” 

“Fair enough,” Bakura said. “I’d probably need bleach if I were to hear anything like that coming out of  _ his _ mouth.” He went to remove the sunglasses, hissed when they moved a fraction away and slammed the glasses completely on his face. “Oh bloody Zorc’s dick. The light still burns.” 

“A little bit of water won’t cure the hangover,” Kek said, rolling his eyes. He didn’t actually drink since he hated being unable to control himself, but he knew that much to say the least.

“He does have a point, Bakura,” Isis said.

Bakura groaned.

“If he’s so hungover, why isn’t he sleeping through it?” Atem asked. 

“Oh, they’d already promised Isis they’d be here,” Mai said calmly. “One big happy family reunion.” She wore a satisfied smile on her lips.

“Happy my ass,” Bakura grumbled.

“You somehow tricked them into coming, didn’t you?” Kek accused with a laugh. 

“Me?” Mai touched her chest, as if offended. “Why I would never admit to doing anything of the sort.”

“Key word,  _ admit _ ,” Marik said with a grunt.

Ryou hummed softly. “We would have been here regardless.” He gave Marik a look that Kek couldn't decipher and he saw Marik wince and look away from everyone.

That interaction was curious to Kek.

“I’m glad that we are all together,” Isis said. “And I’m so glad that you decided to come, Kek. You’re typically always busy whenever we visit.”

Kek ran his nail against the fabric of the chair. “I didn’t exactly have much choice in the matter,” he mumbled.

Confusion flashed over Rishid and Isis’ faces while Ryou shot Marik a stern look. Bakura picked up his water and scooted to a different part of the room, far away from Marik. Even with the glasses on, Bakura shot Marik the same look Ryou had. Tension hung heavy in the air and Kek knew he was missing something. A frown tugged at Bakura’s lips. 

“Kek, what do you mean?” Rishid asked. “You always have a choice on whether or not you want to come to see us.”

“What?” Kek glanced at Marik, now feeling confused. “But… I don’t understand.”

“Why don’t  _ you _ explain it,  _ Marik _ ,” Ryou asked in a tart tone.

“So… I might have fibbed a little,” Marik said awkwardly.

There was a low buzzing in Kek’s ears. His face felt numb as a heavy feeling settled in Kek’s stomach, realization dawned on him. Anger rushed into his veins and his face felt hot. “A  _ little _ ?” Kek asked coldly. He felt Atem touch his shoulder in an attempt to calm him.

“Look, I just wanted to have my entire family together. Is that so wrong of me?”

“It is when you lie!” Kek snapped. He reeled back, realizing that he was no better. He’d planned on coming here with Atem with full intent on lying about being in a relationship. He hadn’t expected it to become so real. He swallowed tightly, trembling. His fingers dug into his knees as he tried to calm himself before he spiraled.

“I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry,” Marik said. “I just… I just wanted all of us together.”

“What exactly did you tell him, Marik?” Rishid asked, a note of disappointment in his tone.

Marik shifted his weight back and forth on his feet. “I said that if he didn’t show then you guys would have us watch over him,” Marik said softly, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear.

Isis knelt in front of Kek. “Kek, you don’t have to stay if you don’t feel like it.” She placed her hands over his.

Despite her words, Kek didn’t want to leave. Now that he was there, he didn’t want to put distance between all of them again. He missed the times where things were simple, way back before the initiation. He closed his eyes, releasing a breath. He twisted his hands a bit so he could gently squeeze hers before letting go.

“Kek?” Atem sounded concerned.

“Marik, bedroom,” Kek said slowly. He stood. He wanted the chance to yell at Marik without unsettling the others. They hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Excuse me?”

“Bedroom. Now,” Kek bit out. “And if you don’t go, then I will throw your ass into the room myself.” 

“Maybe you shouldn’t-” Isis stopped when Atem touched her shoulder and shook his head. 

“Let him and Marik handle this themselves,” Atem said.

Kek stalked to the bedroom. He didn’t spare a glance back to make sure Marik was following. He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over the mirror, not wanting to see his angry reflection staring back at him. Behind him, the door closed.

“Kek, I-”

Kek spun, facing Marik. “How dare you? I’m supposed to be your brother!”

“I told you, I wanted us all to spend time together.”

“You  _ don’t _ manipulate someone to get your damn way. I’m not your mind slave, I’m not some faceless nobody that you can see as cattle to herd around. I’m your  _ twin _ . I was  _ you _ .” He was shaking with rage and betrayal. His eyes felt hot and a bit damp.

“I’m sorry. I just... “ Marik shook his head. “I made you that social media account so we all could stay in touch. But we know nothing about what’s going on in your life. We didn’t know you had a cat, or that you played the cello. Hell, we didn’t even know that you were dating. What else was I supposed to do to get you to open up?”

“Actually talk to me!” Kek screamed. “Don’t just wait until Ryou or Bakura force you to call. Don’t just make small talk and expect me to unload my personal life to you.” His bottom lip trembled. “What do you expect me to do? Go onto something I didn’t want in the first place and gush about everything? About how my cat is technically illegal since my apartment doesn’t allow pets? Talk about how the cello I own I’d stolen since it reminded me of violence when you play it? Or do you want me to talk about how I will sometimes have nightmares about  _ our _ father and what he did to  _ us _ ? About the things  _ I _ have done? Maybe you want me to talk about how sometimes when I have a meltdown the only way to feel grounded is to find somewhat to cause myself pain because I’m so fucked up in the head apparently.” 

“That’s not-”

Kek shook his head. “I’m  _ trying _ to be normal. There’s a reason I don’t come to these gatherings. I’m still trying to figure out what is normal and your stunt has made me feel like I’m not living up to anybody’s standards.”

“Or I made you realize something you’ve always felt.”

“Don’t,” Kek growled. “Don’t you dare try to turn this around on me. You tricked me into thinking that I had no choice in coming here, that I was going to require a babysitter.”

“And I am sorry for that.”

Kek snorted. “Strange, I don’t feel like you completely mean it.” His eyes burned with unshed tears. The world was blurry from his accumulating tears. “Marik, I was your alter. I am your brother. I know you better than that. I know when you don’t completely mean something.”

“Fine. I don’t. Okay? I’m happy that you fell for it because it meant that you actually showed up.”

Kek ground his teeth together. Even though he knew Marik hadn’t meant the apology, it still hurt and infuriated him to hear Marik admit the truth. “For fuck’s sake, you could have simply asked me to show up instead of forcing me.”

“Would you have really showed up, though?”

“Maybe, maybe not. Who fucking knows?” Kek threw his arms upwards. “But it would have been  _ my  _ choice to make. Not yours.”

Marik looked away. Silence fell between them for a long moment before Marik spoke. “Ryou and Bakura both got on my ass for telling you that…” 

“Oh?” Kek crossed his arms.

“I didn’t call you back because I felt…” He shrugged.

“Disgusted? Ashamed? Guilty? Any of those ring a bell?” Kek longed to bash his fist into Marik’s face, to see blood spurt from a busted lip or broken nose, but he held himself back.

Marik shot a glare from the corner of his eye. “Don’t be an ass. I felt guilty, okay? But I couldn’t have called back and said that I was joking or lying.”

“You had days, Marik. Days to fix the wrong you’d done.”

“And you wouldn’t have showed up,” Marik said.

“At this point, do you honestly blame me?” Kek felt all his emotions boiling inside and yet at the same time, he felt detached from everything. He felt as if he’d gotten gutted and his innards were spilling on the floor with no one trying to help him or bothering to care. “Marik, don’t you get it?” he asked, his voice sounding weak and distant to his ears. “You’d crossed a line that you shouldn’t have crossed.”

“And I said sorry. What more do you want?”

“For you to mean it. For you to swear to never manipulate me again.” He was still struggling to find himself. He was still learning to be the normal that truly fit him. And Marik’s stunt made him feel like he was still coming up short, that he was failing at being  _ Kek _ . He circled his arms around his middle. He felt like he was spiraling down and down into a void of emotions without any of his comforts to help ground him and draw him away from the darkness of it all. His nails dug into his sides. 

Marik stepped over and touched Kek’s arms. “I won’t,” he said. “I’m sorry.” There was more sincerity in Marik’s words this time, making Kek almost believe them. “I just want my family… I want my brother part of my life.”

“Don’t take shortcuts,” Kek whispered. “To form true bonds, you can’t take shortcuts,you have to put in the effort. You can’t lie.”

Marik released a breath. “You’re right. I accept that I fucked up. I’m sorry.” He circled his arms around Kek, but Kek didn’t return it. “I promise to try more. Will you… promise to come to more family gatherings?”

“Days ago, not long after you’d called, Atem had asked me why I avoided family gatherings and I couldn’t answer him at the time.” The words were tumbling out. He lacked the strength and will to even bother to care about stopping them.

Marik pulled back to look at him.

“I… didn’t want to be judged. I didn’t want to feel like a mistake. Like I’m not good enough or that I’m not adjusting and being all perfectly reformed like you.”

Marik shook his head. “I never said that I was perfectly reformed. I doubt that I’ll ever be completely reformed or well adjusted. But I’ve made my peace with that.”

Even detached from himself, Kek felt the stab of betrayal and hurt all over again. It wasn’t fair that Marik had made him feel like he had to prove something, when Marik, himself, was not any better. “My version of normal is bubble baths at three in the morning with a face mask, listening to classical music. It’s playing my cello at any hour of the day. It’s reading erotic novels before bed. Curling up on the couch with Khepri and napping in the sunlight that streamed through. Normal is staying home instead of being out around crowds because home is quiet and peaceful… I can be  _ me _ without worrying that I was trying too hard…” The words left Kek’s lips before he really could think. “I don’t want to be judged for my normal because it’s not like everyone else’s. I don’t want to be made to feel like I’m not living up to everyone else’s standards. I just want to be  _ me _ . To be Kek and not the cast off of you.”

Marik embraced him once more, holding Kek tighter. “You’re not a cast off, Kek. And we won’t judge you. I won’t lie, I worry about you. I worry how you’re adjusting, but damn it, I won’t judge you. No one has the right to judge you.” 

This time Kek returned the embrace. He still wanted to punch Marik for manipulating him, but he did have to admit silently that had his brother not, then he and Atem likely wouldn’t have gotten together. So, there was at least one silver lining he could cling to about the situation, to make it more bearable. “Please… don’t ever do that again,” he whispered. “Please.”

Marik’s hold tightened. “I promise. I won’t. Fuck, Kek, I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I’m such an ass.”

His brother’s hold wasn’t like Atem’s, but it still helped Kek slowly ground himself. “We better leave now before the others think that I decided to up and murder you.” He stepped away and wiped at his face, making sure no tears had spilled over. 

“If you ever need someone to talk to…”

“I’m… not yet ready to really open up about the deeper things,” Kek said, understanding instantly what Marik was going to say. “I’m still working on that with Atem.”

“Yeah… I won’t say that I understand your relationship with him - it’s rather weird to me…”

Kek offered a faint smirk. “It’s partly because of you that we’re together,” he said with a slight chime in his tone. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Marik questioned, arching a brow.

“Not telling.” Kek stuck out his tongue at his brother before leaving the room. The next room was filled with an awkward air as the others all tried to make it clear that they hadn’t heard some of the argument. 

Atem went over and held out his arms to Kek, silently letting him decide if he wanted the contact.

Kek smiled and cuddled into his hold. 

“You didn’t kill the idiot, did you?” Bakura asked.

“Not this time,” Kek said. “You get to keep your sex life.”

“That’s good. I quite like having  _ both  _ of my lovers. I’d hate to have to find a way to replace one of them,” Bakura said.

“Oh please, you know you’d help me find a way to resurrect his foolish arse,” Ryou said.

“Yeah. That’s legit.” Bakura laughed, clutching his mostly drained bottle of water to his shoulder.

Kek chuckled softly. He glanced at Isis. “I’ll stay,” he said. 

Isis smiled happily. “I’m glad. Does this mean you might come to other family get-togethers?” 

“Might as well. It hasn’t killed me,” he said. 

“Be warned, now that they’re moving here, they might be more frequent,” Mai warned.

Kek blinked. “You are?”

“Both of us. For… uhh-” Isis cleared her throat awkwardly as Mai pulled her close. “-personal reasons. Mostly though, it was so we could be closer to you guys.”

“Uh-huh…” Kek couldn’t help but feel a touch skeptical. He would bet quite a bit of money that he didn’t have but he could possibly steal from Seto - with Bakura’s help of course - that most of the reason was so they could be closer to their significant others. 

“Yuugi knew, didn’t he?” Atem questioned.

“I might have told him when I was delivering his commission for Anzu,” Ryou said. 

“That explains his reaction,” Atem grumbled.

Rishid chuckled. “We get to add one more reason to the list of why we should move here,” he said.

“What’s that?” Kek asked curiously.

“We have to keep an eye out for our baby brother, and keep a watchful eye on a certain pharaoh.” Rishid’s gaze fixed directly onto Atem. 

Bakura perked up. “Oh Ra.” He began grinning. “Baldy is gonna go papa bear and threaten the pharaoh! Best day ever.”

Kek glanced at Bakura, thinking that the thief was going crazy... _ er _ .

“If you hurt my brother, Atem, I will disembowel you. My pharaoh or not, Kek is my baby brother and I will bury you for him,” Rishid said. “Am I clear?”

Now Kek understood. His cheeks warmed, but he felt a bubble of happiness fill his chest. He hadn’t realized exactly how much he meant to his family, making him regret not going to the family gatherings sooner. He smiled to himself.

Atem gulped and nodded. “Crystal.” 

“I was thinking that we could just ship him back to his tomb,” Isis said.

Bakura began laughing while Kek looked aghast. 

“Sis!” Kek gasped.

“What? I was being respectful,” she said.

Mai snorted softly with a smirk. “And yet she said nothing about whether or not he’d be alive when she closed the doors.”

Isis made a soft noise that Kek couldn’t even describe. “That doesn’t matter because one way or another he’d be dead.”

Kek no longer worried that he wasn’t normal. He felt like he was possibly the normal one in the family. 

“Can I have my turn at threatening him?” Marik asked.

“No,” Kek said with a soft whine. 

Atem rubbed Kek’s hip. “They’re just showing that they care. Yes, at my expense, but it’s to be expected.” He dropped his voice so only Kek could hear him, “It’s a bit frightening how protective they are of you.”

“Don’t worry, Atem, Bakura and I both got the protective older sibling threats, too,” Ryou assured.

“I’ve decided that I’m the normal one here,” Kek said blandly. 

The group chuckled and Kek found himself laughing alongside them. He wanted to be with his family more. He supposed that if they were willing to try, he could also try to be there more. 

“So,” Bakura began slowly, “are we to expect him-” He nodded toward Atem. “-tagging along to the family functions more?”

Atem glanced at Kek with uncertainty in his gaze. “Umm…”

Kek shyly nuzzled Atem. “I wouldn’t mind bringing him over more if you guys behave,” he said. His comment caused understanding and happiness to fill Atem’s eyes. He cupped Kek’s face and brought their lips together.

Bakura gagged. “If you keep that up, I might just terrorize him to keep him away.”

“Behave,” Ryou said.

“Not if they are gonna be tonguing one another,” Bakura said.

“I second that,” Marik chimed.

“You two are horrible,” Mai said. 

Kek giggled into the kiss and pulled back. “Since you can’t handle our awesomeness, we’ll save it for when we’re at home.” 

Atem smiled. He cupped Kek’s cheek and pressed another soft kiss against Kek’s lips before looking at the others. “Depending on how functional the kitchenette is, I can cook us something to eat for lunch.”

“Please let it be full of meat!” Classic Bakura preference. “Preferably red meat that’s dripping.” 

Atem made a face. “Not on your life,” he said.

“Oh come on! You know you want to feed me a steak,” Bakura said. 

“And you know you just wanna have falafels,” Atem retorted, causing Bakura to hiss and hold up his water bottle to either use as a shield or a weapon - Kek wasn’t sure. 

“The kitchenette is a functional as it can be,” Isis said before Bakura did with the bottle whatever he’d planned for it. “But we haven’t really stocked it up with any groceries. We’d gotten room service for breakfast.”

“I can drop by the store and pick up ingredients,” Atem said.

Kek liked the normality of the situation. He liked how well Atem was situating with his family.

Marik stepped around. “I’ll go with him, help him find something that Kura will eat.”

“You just want a chance to do the big brother routine without me there,” Kek accused.

“I plead the fifth,” Marik said. He grabbed Atem’s arm and dragged him from the hotel suite.

Kek shook his head, smiling to himself. Even though he did still want to punch Marik, he was glad to be here. He wouldn’t give up this time for anyone. He glanced at the rest of his family, watching silently as Bakura and Mai tried looking over Rishid’ shoulder to see who he was texting while Ryou and Isis were talking about an exhibit that was coming up in the museum. 

Even though it was Marik who set the stage, Kek was grateful to Atem for helping him get through the days leading up to this moment. And even though he wasn’t ready to say it, he did love Atem. Maybe one day he’d be able to explicitly tell Atem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on {eventually} adding more to this story. For the moment, however, this is where we part ways.  
> I hope you enjoyed reading.


End file.
